After Shooting, Crowd In Missouri Chants: “Kill The Police!”

Photo: Sid Hastings, AP

Michael Brown
Michael Brown

FERGUSON, MO – A tragic scene in Missouri unfolded when police shot 18-year-old Michael Brown outside of a St. Louis suburb. Details in the shooting are sketchy as of this moment, but Brown’s grandmother claims he was unarmed and running towards her when he was shot by police. An angry crowd gathered after the shooting, with chants of “kill the police,” ringing out loud and clear.

Police Chief Jon Belmar claimed in a press conference that Brown was involved in an altercation with an officer where he physically assaulted the officer. Belmar stated that his officer struggled with Brown over a weapon and that the deceased pushed the officer into his vehicle.

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley has stated that he desires “for a full and open inquiry into yesterday’s shooting in Ferguson.”

The St. Louis chapter of the NAACP is calling for the FBI to conduct an independent investigation into the killing. St. Louis County Police confirmed they did shoot Brown, but aren’t giving a full explanation as to the cause. They are waiting for toxicology reports, which could take up to 6 weeks.

John Gaskin of the NAACP group stated: “With the recent events of a young man killed by the police in New York City and with Trayvon Martin and with all the other African-American young men that have been killed by police officers … this is a dire concern to the NAACP, especially our local organization.”

Gaskin claims that the crowd’s terrifying reaction to the shooting was a result of “trauma” they have suffered.

“Anytime you have this type of event that’s taken place, emotions are going to run high,” Gaskin said. “But for 600 people to gather around an area to see where a man is lying in the street, that means something happened that should have not happened.”

Protesters are calling for a crowd of 10,000 people to join together on Monday morning to rally in support of Brown’s family.

 

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