Missouri officials announced that a St. Louis-area police officer was fired for posting a series of "very concerning and inappropriate" Facebook comments about protesters in Ferguson.

Earlier this month, a string of protests were held in Ferguson in wake of the death of Mike Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American who was fatally shot by a white police officer on Aug. 9. Although police say the teen reached for the officer's weapon, several witnesses say Brown was shot execution style while he was trying to surrender.

Missouri police also came under fire for using overly-aggressive tactics on peaceful protesters in the predominantly Black St. Louis suburb.

According to CNN affiliate KMOV, Glendale Police Officer Matthew Pappert stated, "These protesters should be put down like a rabid dog the first night," in one of five inappropriate posts. Pappert also wrote a message calling the demonstrators "thugs" and "white trash."

He was originally suspended on Aug. 22 over the comments and then terminated after officials launched an investigation into the matter, said Glendale police on Thursday.

"Officer Pappert was dismissed following the conclusion of the investigation," Glendale City Administrator Jaysen Christensen announced. "Our focus at this point is to move past this, and turn the focus back to healing in the City (sic) of Ferguson."

Glendale Police Chief Jeffrey Beaton said that Pappert wrote "very concerning and inappropriate posts on his personal Facebook page," according to the Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Speaking on behalf of Pappert, his attorney William Goldstein issued a statement saying that he was sorry for his remarks.

"Officer Pappert is deeply remorseful about what he posted on social media," said Goldstein, reports CNN. "We ask for (the) same spirit of forgiveness and the opportunity for redemption."

According to police, the comments made by Officer Pappert "are absolutely not the viewers and/or opinions of the Glendale Police Department or the City of Glendale, Missouri."

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