ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Police Locust Club has broken its silence on the fatal shooting of a robbery suspect inside a Family Dollar store on West Main Street.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the police union offered support for the officers involved and criticized members of Rochester City Council:

“We commend the bravery and professionalism of those officers involved last week in stopping a violent robbery in progress. They put their lives on the line for others when a violent individual made the choice to commit multiple crimes, including shooting at them. 

"Some City Council members have now started to release statements that try to support the officers’ heroic actions. Others didn’t even bother addressing the community about two young officers nearly being murdered. These politicians have agendas and have lost sight of the fact that an armed robber targeted community members and tried to kill a cop in this city. There should be no agendas, there should be no sides – everyone should be outraged by this brazen act.

"The City Council statements talk about the complexity of police-community relations. They fail to take ownership for their contribution when they turned their backs on officers and on community members facing unprecedented levels of violent crime. City Council members should be about this community and not about agendas. They need to start listening to the victims in this city and stop pandering for politics.”

The police body camera footage of the incident was released on Tuesday. It shows a confrontation between officers and a man identified as Simran Gordon, 24, inside the Family Dollar store. Gordon, who police say is a suspect in three homicides, died in the shooting.

According to police, there was an exchange of gunfire between the officers and Gordon. However, Gordon's family and some local activists say the footage raises more questions than answers about what happened.