A black police officer shared a powerful message about police brutality after Alton Sterling's death

Facebook/Nakia Jones

Police officer Nakia Jones posted an emotional video in response to the death of Alton Sterling.

On Tuesday, police fatally shot 37-year-old Louisiana man Alton Sterling while he was pinned to the ground. He was the 505th American killed by police in 2016. 

The killing prompted Cleveland, Ohio police officer Nakia Jones to post an intensely emotional video response on Facebook. In just 17 hours, it has amassed 1.7 million views. 

In the video, Jones says she became "furious" after watching videos of the shooting captured on bystanders' cell phones. "The reason why I became a police officer was to make a difference in people's lives," she said. "But how dare you stand next to me in the same uniform and murder somebody? How dare you?"

Mere hours after Jones posted her video, another police killing of a black man made headlines: Philando Castile was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Minnesota Wednesday night. The aftermath of the shooting was broadcast on Facebook Live. 

Jones used the video to directly address prejudiced police officers. "If you're that officer...you have no business in that uniform. Take it off," she said. ""If you're afraid to talk to an African American female or a Mexican male or female because they're not white like you, take the uniform off. You have no business being a police officer."

Watch the full video here: