Hours before officers were gunned down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, officials in Cobb County pulled the plug on an electronic sign with slurs against police.

The sign, hanging above Johnson Ferry Road, already spread to social media by the time it was turned off, Channel 2 Action News reported. The sign was hacked and flashing before Sunday morning’s Baton Rouge shooting in which police say 29-year-old Gavin Long shot and killed three officers.

Cobb police had received support in prior days in wake of recent events, but the sign’s message put officers on high alert, local Fraternal Order of Police President Steve Gaynor told Channel 2.

“Just telling them to hang in there and they support them,” Gaynor said, “…These folks are only doing the job they were hired and paid to do.”

Gaynor said the sign’s sentiments aren’t what the East Cobb community represent.

“It doesn’t reflect the nature of this area, this neighborhood in East Cobb,” he said, “People are very pro-police and here. My daughter-in-law is an officer and I have nothing but respect for these people.”

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8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres