Ferguson Police Deny Beating Shooting Suspect

Jeffrey Williams, the man accused of firing the gunshots that injured two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, now says he was abused during his arrest.

Williams' attorney, Jerryl Christmas, said his client was subjected to excessive force. He alleges that Williams sustained bruises to his back, shoulders, face, and a knot on his head.

But St. Louis County police call the allegations "completely false."

"Immediately following the arrest, arresting officers transported Williams to St. Louis County Police Headquarters where he was interviewed by Crimes Against Persons Detectives. This entire interview was video and audio recorded," Sgt. Brian Schellman said in a statement.

Williams also maintains he was not aiming for the officers who were shot.

Meanwhile in Virginia Beach, Virginia, leaders of the faith community and local law enforcement are coming together to push for racial reconciliation.

Over the weekend, Kingdom World Outreach Center (KWOC) hosted a "Building Bridges" event in response to national incidents of police-involved shootings.

Chris Mitchell, a law enforcement officer and pastor of KWOC, shared why the church's involvement is key to healing tensions between police officers and the community.

"The church has a duty, as far as I'm concerned, to be participating within the community to make a difference within the community. If we remain silent who will be the voice?" Mitchell challenged.

"We've got to speak up and to speak out and to reach out instead of just reaching in to try and make a difference in our community," he said.

"A lot of these children, a lot of these young people, they just need a positive influence and what better place to give them a positive influence than in the church," Mitchell said.

The event also offered practical solutions to help ease unrest between police and the public.