Mischa Barton Slammed for Posting Insensitive Bikini-Clad Pic Following Alton Sterling Shooting

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Mischa Barton took to Instagram on Thursday to pay tribute to Alton Sterling, who died after he was shot by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. But unlike her celebrity peers who were praised for their thoughtful tributes, the former O.C. star's message received a lot of backlash from her followers.

The post, which has since been deleted, was a reflection of Barton's opinions on the tragic shooting.


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"I'm truly heart broken to watch videos like the #altonsterling execution," Barton, 30, wrote. "This may have been going on forever in the United States but thank god the pigs get caught on camera now."

"Its unthinkable and an embarrassment to America," the London-born actress continued. "The country I was brought up in. Somebody make change. We need gun control and unity. And a real President so think about that when this election is around the corner. The world is a precarious place right now. #stop #reflect and #act appropriately."

It wasn't her words that fans were concerned about, however -- it was the picture she used to accompany her sentimental statement. In the snap, Barton appeared somber while sipping on a glass of rosé on a yacht. She was wearing a black string bikini, which many fans slammed in the comments.


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"Like the sentiment, but hard to take you seriously while you post a picture of you sipping alcohol on a yacht," one user wrote. Another angered follower chimed in, writing, "Talking about someone's death while shamelessly posting a picture of yourself in a bikini is disgusting."

Instagram

As ET previously reported, the shooting occurred outside a liquor store after an anonymous caller reported seeing a black man threatening someone with a firearm while attempting to sell homemade CDs.

Sterling, 37, was pinned to the ground and shot by two police officers, as seen in videos captured by witnesses to the killing. Read more on the ongoing investigation HERE.


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