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Ferguson police name Darren Wilson as officer who shot Michael Brown Ferguson police name Darren Wilson as officer who shot Michael Brown
(about 1 hour later)
The police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, sparking days of protests and clashes in the city of Ferguson, was named on Friday morning as Darren Wilson. The police officer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager in the Missouri city of Ferguson, sparking days of protests and and violent clashes, was named on Friday.
“[Wilson] has been a police officer for six years, and has had no disciplinary action against him,” Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson said at a press conference on Friday morning. “He was treated for injuries which occurred on Saturday.” The Ferguson police chief, Thomas Jackson, identified him as Darren Wilson, a six-year veteran of the city police department. He said Wilson had a clean disciplinary record before the incident on Saturday, when he shot Michael Jackson
The announcement brought an end to wide-ranging speculation and rumour that residents said was stoking disgruntlement. Several names were published online and circulated locally, forcing police to issue denials. He also released details of a robbery earlier in the day on Saturday, in which Brown was a suspect. Security camera footage showed an assailant, purported to be Brown, confronting another man in a convenience store.
Police have said that a struggle with the officer led to Brown being shot. But witnesses said that Brown was shot repeatedly after fleeing the confrontation with his hands up, following a disagreement over a request from the officer for Brown and a friend to move off the road and on to the pavement. The announcement brought an end to wide-ranging speculation and rumour that, residents, said was stoking disgruntlement. Several names were published online and circulated locally, forcing police to issue denials. But the revelation of a partial incident report – which gave no details of the events surrounding the shooting – threatened to increase tensions in the town.
Jackson released part of an incident report on Friday that details the robbery that Wilson was responding to when he confronted Brown. A dramatic shift in law enforcement tactics, after responsibility for policing the demonstrations was removed from the city police, had led to a calmer atmosphere on Thursday night.
Witnesses told police that Brown stole multiple packs of Swisher Sweet cigars from a convenience store between 11:52pm and 11:54pm on the night of 9 August. Store surveillance footage shows that “an apparent struggle or confrontation seems to take place with Brown,” and then as he left to exit, an unidentified person tried to stop him from leaving. Brown pushed the person into a display rack, started to leave the store, appeared to intimidate the person one more time, then left, according to the report. Police have said that a struggle with officers led to Brown being shot. But witnesses said that Brown was shot repeatedly after fleeing the confrontation with his hands up, following a disagreement over a request from the officer for Brown and a friend to move off the road and on to the sidewalk.
A note at the end of the report ties the robbery to Brown’s killing. “It is worth mentioning that this incident is related to another incident detailed under Ferguson Police Report # 2014-12391 as well as St Louis County Police Report # 2014-43984. In that incident, Brown was fatally wounded involving an officer of this department.” On Friday, details of the robbery in which Brown was alleged to have been involved emerged with the publication of a police report. According to the account, witnesses told police that Brown stole several packets of Swisher Sweet cigars from a convenience store between 11.52pm and 11.54pm on the night of 9 August.
Brown’s friend Dorian Johnson is identified in the report because he was involved in the robbery and present at the scene of the shooting. He has spoken multiple times about the shooting, refuting claims by the police that Brown wrestled with Wilson before the shooting. Store surveillance footage shows that “an apparent struggle or confrontation seems to take place with Brown,” and then as he made to leave, an unidentified person tried to stop him. Brown pushed the man into a display rack, started to leave the store, appeared to intimidate the person one more time, then left, according to the report.
However, aside from identifying the officer who fatally shot Brown, no new information was released in the report. A brief note at the end of the report ties the robbery to Brown’s killing, which it says is “worth mentioning”. It read: “In that incident, Brown was fatally wounded involving an officer of this department.” No further details of the killing were offered.
Jackson said previously that following the incident the officer had “a side of his face that is swollen”, adding: “He was taken to the hospital and treated for that.” Asked what had struck the officer’s face, Jackson told a press conference earlier this week: “Don’t know.” A friend of Brown, Dorian Johnson is identified in the report as being involved in the robbery. He was also present at the scene of the shooting, and has spoken several times about the shooting, contradicting claims by the police that Brown wrestled with Wilson before the shooting.
Jackson had said previously that following the incident the officer had sustained a swollen face in the incident and was treated in hospital. Asked what had struck the officer’s face, Jackson told a press conference earlier this week: “Don’t know.”
The shooting is being investigated by St Louis County police, which previously insisted that the officer’s identity would not be released. County prosecutor Bob McCulloch said earlier this week that Wilson’s name and other details about the incident must remain secret to ensure the integrity of the inquiry.The shooting is being investigated by St Louis County police, which previously insisted that the officer’s identity would not be released. County prosecutor Bob McCulloch said earlier this week that Wilson’s name and other details about the incident must remain secret to ensure the integrity of the inquiry.
McCulloch reportedly reacted furiously on Friday night to the transfer in leadership of policing demonstrations over Brown’s death. Missouri governor Jay Nixon relieved the county police force and handed leadership to the Missouri state highway patrol and Captain Ron Johnson.McCulloch reportedly reacted furiously on Friday night to the transfer in leadership of policing demonstrations over Brown’s death. Missouri governor Jay Nixon relieved the county police force and handed leadership to the Missouri state highway patrol and Captain Ron Johnson.