St Louis County - Police Officer Fatally Shoots 18-Year-Old (Michael Brown)

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backslashbaby

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This happened Saturday afternoon.

A friend and witnesses say Missouri teen Michael Brown was unarmed and had his hands in the air when a Ferguson police officer shot and killed him, but that account is in dispute. "The genesis of this was a physical confrontation," Jon Belmar, chief of the St. Louis County Police Department, said at a Sunday news conference....
So the facts of what happened are hard to pin down right now for readers (imho, at least). More details are in the article, but I don't know that I trust one source or the reporting of earliest accounts, so I'm not quoting those details yet.

Hopefully the reporting on what happened later is pretty objective/easy to get accurate (but I don't know that for sure):

...Antonio French, the Ward 21 alderman in nearby St. Louis, tweeted numerous photos and videos from the aftermath of the Saturday shooting. Brown was shot shortly after 2 p.m., according to reports.
Hundreds of demonstrators -- as many as 1,000 at the height of the protests, according to police -- converged on the scene Saturday, at one point driving away a police squad car, French said on Twitter.
Scores of police officers lined the street. One of them held the leash of a barking dog, and French said some officers wielded shotguns. One image showed a riot van on the scene.
Demonstrators held their hands in the air and chanted, "We are Michael Brown." Others held signs, including one that said, "No justice, no peace" and another that read, "Police stops should not = dead kids." There were reports that some protesters yelled, "Kill the police."
Demonstrators at one point set a Dumpster on fire, according to CNN affiliate KMOV, and Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson told KSDK, "It did get a little tense when, twice, several shots were fired."
The Ferguson Police Department called more than 100 officers from 15 jurisdictions to secure the scene, KMOV reported.
"We had what probably bordered on riot conditions," Jackson said, explaining that it took hours to process the scene, collect evidence and move Brown's body....
http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/10/justice/missouri-police-involved-shooting/index.html

It seems pretty early to expect the officer be arrested even if that's what's going to happen. OTOH, in the Ferrell case here in NC, that officer was arrested within 19 hours, so it wouldn't be unheard of, either.

I don't know. I'm keeping my eye on this one :(
 
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backslashbaby

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[Edited title typos after a nice rep telling me how]
 
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Ambrosia

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I read an article about it earlier. It is way too early in my estimation to make any judgements about who did what. Beyond another young black man is killed by a police officer and people are pissed. That is very clear.

I'm sorry for the loss of another life and for the pain of the family and friends of the young man.
 

Plot Device

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One account says the boy and another man were walking down the middle of the street. The police car pulled up behind them and the officer ordered them to use the sidewalk instead. Then either the boy or the man or both became angry with the officer, words were exchanged, and then the officer pulled his gun. The boy put his hands in the air, and then the officer shot him. After shooting him down dead. The officer CONTINUED to shoot him, multiple times in the head, as he lay on the ground.

The police cordoned off the street with yellow police tape to investigate. That investigation went on for hours with the boy's body STILL in the street for hours --coroners were NOT permitted to take the body all that time. During that time, with the vision of the lad's blanket-draped body baking in the street and in full view of domestic houses where children lived, the citizens became fully enraged.

(Damned web link to news story won't open. Gimmie a minute.)

Here's one link:

http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Heavy-police-presence--270609091.html

Tensions high in Ferguson after teen shot and killed by police officer

by KMOV.com staff -- August 9, 2014

See all 21 photos »

Related:
•Raw video: St. Louis County Police Press Conference
•Sharpton plans visit following deadly shooting in Ferguson
•Mother of dead Missouri teen wants officer jailed
•Dept. of Justice monitoring investigation in Ferguson
•Statement from St. Louis County Police on Ferguson investigation
•Photos: Protesters gather at Ferguson Police Department
•In news conference, police speak of struggle before officer-involved shooting
•Video: Dumpster set on fire after Ferguson shooting
•Raw video: Shooting scene
•Raw video: Witness describes officer-involved shooting scene
•Raw video: Law enforcement vehicles arrive on scene of shooting
•Photos: Images capture scene following Ferguson shooting


FERGUSON, Mo. (KMOV.com) –

... Dorian Johnson tells News 4 he was walking with Brown when the officer confronted them and drew his weapon.

“He (the officer) shot again and once my friend felt that shot, he turned around and put his hands in the air,” said Dorian Johnson, a friend Brown’s. “He started to get down and the officer still approached with his weapon drawn and fired several more shots.”

St. Louis County NAACP President Esther Haywood told News 4 that Brown was shot once by the officer and then an additional nine times as he lie in the street. Police have not confirmed that account....
 
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milkweed

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Saw the story on the local news tonight, there was one bystander who came forward with video of the incident and I guess that's under review, by whom they didn't say.
 

robjvargas

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There's so much odd information here. Our local news referenced some kind of altercation inside the police car. Then this boy out in the middle of the street, dead.

WAY too much missing here.
 

Gretad08

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This is my neck of the woods. Things are crazy around here. I have two friends who are officers in this area, and their families are very concerned for their safety. People are now looting, they've set at least two different fires, and within hours of the shooting, crowds formed around the police station screaming "kill the police!"

Stories are conflicting and offer very limited information at this time. There was a press conference this morning, which didn't offer much information, except to say that they believe there was a struggle inside the squad car.

I can't make heads or tails of the information. It seems that both the officer and the victim made some bad choices during this altercation, but aside from that, it's really not possible to say yet.
 

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nighttimer

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It seems that Anonymous is going to deal out some justice on the cop now --or at least against the FPD if they fail to do a real investigation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOSRQ-c1XW0

As robjvargas said, there is a LOT of information missing here, but the way the Ferguson cops have handled matters couldn't be much more tone-deaf.

Anonymous adds an interesting twist to the story, but I don't believe they are going to find justice for Mike Brown by threatening to crash into the cops' computers and unearth all the dirt.

Brown was slated to start college Monday. Now his family can start planning a funeral instead.
 

Plot Device

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My vote on the struggle inside the police car for a gun: bullshit. Never happened. My opinion. My gut feeling.

Verbal exchange on the street before officer pulled his gun: to that I say more than likely.

There is a police dash-cam video somewhere. And it will likely include audio of the inside of the police car. If that video does not get produced, these riots will continue.
 

nighttimer

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Riots are terrible. Looting is terrible. Setting stuff on fire is terrible.

It's also terrible when yet another Black man has yet another fatal encounter with the police.

Reference Sean Bell. Or Amadou Diallo. Or Oscar Grant. Or Patrick Dorismond. Or Jonathan Ferrell. Or Eric Garner.

Or Mike Brown.

Martin Luther King noted a riot is the language of the unheard.

Can you hear them now? :mob
 

Gretad08

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I don't understand why dash cam footage hasn't already been discussed. Is the dash cam always on? Maybe someone who has experience in police/investigation protocol can offer insight. (Rugcat?)
 

Gretad08

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I'm watching my local news right now. Michael Brown's family is asking the community to stop rioting. It's getting violent. A civilian has been beaten, several buildings have been looted and set on fire. This is awful. This is scary. I'm sad and embarrassed for my city.
 

backslashbaby

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I'm watching my local news right now. Michael Brown's family is asking the community to stop rioting. It's getting violent. A civilian has been beaten, several buildings have been looted and set on fire. This is awful. This is scary. I'm sad and embarrassed for my city.

Stay safe! Don't go out. I just came on here after checking into Twitter. I hope they are exaggerating about some of the things I read. Jaysus.

I just don't even know what to say :(
 

Gretad08

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Stay safe! Don't go out. I just came on here after checking into Twitter. I hope they are exaggerating about some of the things I read. Jaysus.

I just don't even know what to say :(


Thank you. I'm far enough away that I'm not concerned for me. Anyone who knows St. Louis know it's an odd city, in that it's very spread out. So there are people who are considered part of St. Louis, but are 20 and 30 miles from where this is happening.

I'm very concerned for some of my friends who live and work in ferguson. One police officer in particular, who is working there tonight. I don't think twitter is exaggerating too much. I was just watching a live feed, and the reporter had to get to safety because officers started yelling "don't shoot, don't shoot!" So disappointing to see people react to a tragedy by acting like this.
 

backslashbaby

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Oh, so scary! I really don't know St Louis. Except that y'all bring really good ribs down to our local ribs festival :)

I hope folks have gotten it out of their system tonight and just go on inside. I did read that the FBI is really getting on the case, so that's big news. It's still so soon that I think the case has a good chance of being investigated well, now that conflicts of interest (cops investigating their own department) are being forced to be avoided.
 

Gretad08

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Oh, so scary! I really don't know St Louis. Except that y'all bring really good ribs down to our local ribs festival :)

I hope folks have gotten it out of their system tonight and just go on inside. I did read that the FBI is really getting on the case, so that's big news. It's still so soon that I think the case has a good chance of being investigated well, now that conflicts of interest (cops investigating their own department) are being forced to be avoided.


We love our ribs around here. Also, toasted ravioli, pork steaks, and gooey butter cake.

From what I've seen on the news, the ferguson police department immediately called St. Louis county PD to come in and investigate, and said they believed the FBI would be there as well. That ball was rolling before public outcry, which is good. Someone just said they believe the national guard is coming. Not verifiable yet.
 

backslashbaby

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We love our ribs around here. Also, toasted ravioli, pork steaks, and gooey butter cake.

From what I've seen on the news, the ferguson police department immediately called St. Louis county PD to come in and investigate, and said they believed the FBI would be there as well. That ball was rolling before public outcry, which is good. Someone just said they believe the national guard is coming. Not verifiable yet.

That is good! This journalist seems quite trustworthy, and he says no to the National Guard at this point: https://twitter.com/MichaelSkolnik

Michael Skolnik @MichaelSkolnik · 22m At this point, the National Guard is NOT being called to #Ferguson (per the STL County Communications Director)

I have seen tweets saying the opposite, but they looked to be from random people.
 
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Plot Device

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St. Louis Police have shut off police scanners. Blackout for civilians listening in on the scanners. Scanners back on again.

http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/2418/web


I have an unconfirmed report of tanks on the highway. Those tanks are actually mounted on top of flatbed rail cars. It's an old (past year?) photo of tanks being delivered from a factory via rail freight.

There was a training exercise two years ago where the US Army did a practice run for "how to drive tanks through an urban environment" and they chose St. Louis for that drill. Therefore there are LOADS of images from 2 years ago which show actual tanks in various identifiable St. Louis locales, and even at all hours of the day (some in daylight, some at night).

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...n-residential-roads-for-training-in-st-louis/







And it has been pointed out that today is the 49th anniversary of the Watts riots.
 
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Vince524

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NY Times

The police on Sunday said they were still trying to sort out the exact details, but they released what they said was the fullest account of the shooting that they could provide. Just after noon on Saturday, the police said, an officer in a patrol car approached Mr. Brown and another man. As the officer began to leave his vehicle, one of the men pushed the officer back into the car and “physically assaulted” him, according to the police department’s account.

A struggle occurred “over the officer’s weapon,” and at least one shot was fired inside the car, Chief Belmar said. The two left the car, and the officer shot Mr. Brown about 35 feet away from the vehicle, the police reported. Several shots were fired from the officer’s weapon.

The medical examiner for St. Louis County is investigating to determine how many times Mr. Brown was shot, the police said.
 

robjvargas

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Vince, I get that it's the closest the police have to an explanation, and even they admit it's only an initial report.

It just doesn't make any sense. The two men pushed the officer into his own car, then struggled (in some way) over his weapon? That wouldn't be the first time that real life occurred senselessly if it's true, but it makes no sense to me.
 

Vince524

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Vince, I get that it's the closest the police have to an explanation, and even they admit it's only an initial report.

It just doesn't make any sense. The two men pushed the officer into his own car, then struggled (in some way) over his weapon? That wouldn't be the first time that real life occurred senselessly if it's true, but it makes no sense to me.

I'm just adding the link. When stuff like this happens, it's best to wait for concrete stuff. I've seen cases where witnesses come forwards and start to claim things like the cop shot the person in the back of the head, meanwhile that wasn't the case. Or people speculate on it, making up scenarios and a news outlet picks it up and people think it's fact. There's a lot that we don't know.

There just seems to be an awful lot of guitly until proven innocent in these cases. The rhetoric coming out of the community isn't helping.
 

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FBI Taking Over Missouri Police Shooting of Teen

Police say the FBI is taking over the investigation of a suburban St. Louis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed teenager.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson tells The Associated Press that he was informed Monday that the FBI was going to take over the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Jackson says he welcomes the move.
Police say the teen was shot multiple times Saturday in a scuffle with an officer.

Tensions erupted in Ferguson after a candlelight vigil Sunday night. Crowds looted and burned stores, vandalized vehicles and taunted officers who tried to block access to parts of the city. Nearly three dozen people were arrested, though the area was relatively quiet early Monday.

The FBI in St. Louis didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-taking-missouri-police-shooting-teen-24929031
 
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