Three weeks after the death of unarmed African American teen Michael Brown by a white Missouri cop ignited days of protests, Hillary Clinton has finally broken her silence on the issue.

Angry demonstrators from around the country held a string of protests in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson in wake of the death of Mike Brown, who was fatally shot by police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. Although police say the teen reached for the officer's weapon, several witnesses say the 18-year-old was shot execution style while he was trying to surrender.

Until Thursday, Clinton, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, had not addressed the controversy over the shooting or the violent outbursts from police on peaceful protesters, reports the Washington Post.

"This summer, the eyes of our country and indeed of the world have been focused on one community in the middle of the American heartland: Ferguson, Missouri," Clinton said during a technology conference in San Francisco Thursday morning, according to the Huffington Post.

"Watching the recent funeral for Michael Brown, as a mother, as a human being, my heart just broke for his family because losing a child is every parent's greatest fear and an unimaginable loss,"the former secretary of state said .

"Behind the dramatic, terrible pictures on television, there are deep challenges that will be with them and with us long after the cameras move on," she continued. "This is what happens when the bonds of trust and respect that hold any community together fray."

The former first lady also spoke out about the increased militarization of local police forces, demanding that cops "serve and protect their communities with courage and professionalism."

"Nobody wants to see our streets look like a war zone, not in America," she added. "We are better than that."

"We cannot ignore the inequities that persist in our justice system," Clinton continued. "Inequities that undermine our most deeply held values of fairness and equality."

She went on to applaud President Barack Obama for sending Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the situation and "see that justice is done, to help this community begin healing itself."