St. Louis police officer suspended for 'disturbing' video rant

St. Louis police officer suspended for 'disturbing' video rant
(Image credit: YouTube Screenshot)

St. Louis police officer Dan Page was suspended after a video of the 35-year department veteran making inflammatory statements went viral earlier this week.

In the hour-long video made in 2012, Page talks to members of Christian organization the Oath Keepers. He claims that President Barack Obama is "undocumented" and from Kenya, describes himself as an "extremist," and says Muslims "are passive until they gain parity…and (then) they will kill you."

St. Louis Police Chief Jon Belmar said he was most disturbed by comments Page made describing himself as "an indiscriminate killer."

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"I personally believe in Jesus Christ as my lord savior, but I'm also a killer. I've killed a lot," Page says in the video. "I'm into diversity. I kill everybody, I don't care."

Page was assigned to day patrols in Ferguson following the police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown, but Belmar said the department has not received any complaints regarding Page. He will remain suspended while an internal affairs unit investigates the video.

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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.