Springfield police officer accused of ‘mocking’ Charlottesville violence

The police department is investigating the incident.

A Massachusetts police department is investigating a Facebook comment purportedly made by an officer “mocking” the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, that killed one person and injured at least 19 others.

Virginia State Police wear body armor and use riot shields while keeping crowds away from alt-right blogger Jason Kessler after he tried to hold a news conference August 13, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Kessler, who helped organize the Unite the Right rally one day earlier, blamed Charlottesville government officials and law enforcement for failing to protect the first amendment rights of the rally's participants, a collection of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members and alt-right supporters. (AFP)

Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri says he received a complaint about the comment Sunday and opened an internal investigation.

Democratic Mayor Domenic Sarno later released a statement saying “There is no place for this in our society, let alone from a Springfield Police Officer.”

Officials say the matter will be taken before a police review board if the investigation finds the officer did make the comment.

James Alex Fields Jr. is accused of driving through a crowd of people protesting a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville on Saturday, killing a 32-year-old woman.