A white retired police officer was acquitted Tuesday of manslaughter and assault for shooting two unarmed black men, angering the victims' families and prompting a call for peace from the city's mayor.

An all-white Hartford Superior Court jury deliberated for several days before returning the verdict in favor of Robert Lawlor, who killed 18-year-old Jashon Bryant and injured 21-year-old Brandon Henry in 2005.

Bryant's and Henry's families sobbed, clutched each other and screamed in anger after the verdict was announced. Bryant's mother, Cynthia, was so overcome with emotion that she was taken to a hospital by ambulance for observation. Police brought in extra officers and blocked off the street in front of the courthouse to control the area.

Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez appealed for calm, saying the city's young people, families and "those who are sworn to serve and protect" need residents' support.

"Right now there needs to be one voice for Hartford, and that is one of peace," Perez said.

Lawlor and a federal agent were working together for an anti-drug task force in the city's predominantly black North End on May 7, 2005, when Lawlor opened fire on a car speeding toward the FBI agent.

Henry, who was driving, was shot once in the chest. Bryant, a passenger, was shot in the head and died instantly. Henry, despite his injury, drove away and crashed into a car nearby.

Lawlor has said he fired because he believed Bryant had a gun, but no weapon was ever located. Henry testified he tried to escape because he had drugs, but not a gun, in the car.

Lawlor, who retired from the Hartford Police Department after almost two decades on the force, did not take the stand during the trial, but said afterward that the time since the shooting has been the longest 4 1/2 years of his life.

"I am absolutely horrified at the incident. It is a tragedy," he said.

But he stopped short of apologizing to Bryant's or Henry's families.

"Being sorry, to me in my personal belief, would be admitting some sort of wrongdoing. I did nothing wrong," Lawlor said. "I did what I had to do that night to ensure the safety of the community, the public and (the FBI) agent as well."

Henry's mother, Bernetta Henry, said her son, now 26, has recovered from his physical injuries but is haunted by seeing his friend shot in the head.

"They put our community on trial. The whole North End of Hartford was on trial. Robert Lawlor was never on trial here," she said.