An Erie police officer has been fired after an internal administrative investigation found multiple violations tied to a social media comment that ricocheted around the internet. Town officials say the post, which spread widely on X and other platforms, raised concerns serious enough that the Erie Police Department alerted the FBI. The move has quickly turned into a local flashpoint over what officers say online when they are off the clock.
Town says probe began after resident complaint
According to the town’s official account, the investigation started with a resident flagging the officer’s online rhetoric. The Town of Erie said the department opened an internal administrative investigation on Jan. 25 after receiving a complaint "expressing concern about rhetoric unbecoming of an officer."
The NewsFlash explains that Erie police worked with town management and human resources while reviewing the matter. The police chief ultimately found "multiple violations of department directives," after which the employee was separated from the department. The town added that the department notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation "due to the nature of the comment."
FBI notified; state paperwork lists officer
State records fill in a key name. As reported by CBS News Colorado, the Colorado Office of the Attorney General says Erie filed a notice of separation that identifies the officer as Haili Shimko and lists the action as "terminated for cause."
A bureau spokesperson told CBS that "Erie Police Department has communicated with the FBI, as is common practice in situations where a federal nexus might exist," and said the FBI was directing further questions back to Erie police.
Screenshots spread online, authenticity unclear
What actually appeared online is where things get murkier. Screenshots of a Facebook comment, reposted by the account Libs of TikTok, spread on X and appeared to show a reply that read, "they wear armor, so headshots would work better."
Axios Boulder reported it could not independently verify the content of the comment or who controlled the account in question. Erie officials, citing the active personnel matter, declined to say whether the comments were directed at any particular federal agency.
Why the post mattered
The controversy is playing out against a charged national backdrop. The episode landed amid heated disputes over federal immigration enforcement and several recent high-profile confrontations that have fueled debate about threats against agents and how local officers talk about federal operations in public and online. Newsweek places the Erie case within that wider national conversation.
What happens next
So far, there have been no public criminal charges tied to the social media comment. The FBI told CBS it had been notified and referred additional questions back to Erie police.
The town’s statement says more information will be shared "if and when appropriate." In the meantime, Erie officials are emphasizing the department’s commitment to accountability and professional policing as they move to fill the vacancy left by the officer’s departure.
