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Aug-15-2014 02:43printcommentsVideo

No Justice! No Peace! Public Pleads For A Full Investigation Into The Mike Brown Shooting

Citizens fear that a "police state" has replaced the "protect and serve" model for law enforcement in the United States.

opferguson
Large numbers of people have joined rallies across the nation, like this one in New York City. Thousands are raising their arms and shouting, "Don't shoot!"
Photo: Twitter #opferguson

(FERGUSON, Mo. / SALEM, Or.) - The shooting death of an 18-year old man at the hands of a city police officer in Ferguson, Missouri may have rocked the core foundation of our United States. What should never happen has happened. Again.

“It seems "living while black" has become a crime in this country-- punishable by death. How many more lives have to be taken before something is done?” Rashad Robinson, the Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org stated in a letter addressed to Eric holder, United States Attorney General.

“Trayvon Martin, Renisha Mcbride, Mike Brown. What do all of these people have in common? All three are young black Americans who were brutally gunned down--while unarmed.”

Robinson circulated a petition that had gained over 80,000 signatures by Thursday evening.

“This is a trend that is becoming all too familiar in our country. Mike Brown, just 18 years-old, had just graduated high school and was two days away from beginning college, when he was gunned down after what police called a "physical altercation."

Without police dashboard cameras equipped on Ferguson police cruisers, it comes down to the officer involved versus a dead teenager...plus, an eye witness, and perhaps some cell phone videos.

“The shooting has already created national outrage and the community of Ferguson is in disarray, as rioting and unrest has broken out around the town,” Robinson said.

The killing of Michael Brown provoked more problematic behavior. As citizens took to the street to protest the senseless death of their friend and neighbor, police came onto the scene with sirens blaring in an attempt to turn away protesters. It did not work.

Ferguson Police Use Tear Gas on Al Jazeera America

“Residents who protested Mike's death were met with police in riot gear and military vehicles,” said Kareem Deanes, creator of a petition directed to Missouri’s Governor Jay Nixon and President Barack Obama. Deanes asked for the National Guard to be dispatched to Ferguson “to guarantee the constitutional rights of residents and visitors protesting the murder of Mike Brown at the hands of Ferguson Police.”

“On Wednesday, police shot peaceful protesters with rubber bullets and attacked them with tear gas canisters, some of which exploded into nearby residents' yards — gassing sleeping families and children. They even used a torture device called a sonic cannon to try to disperse crowds.

“Even journalists weren't safe from local police. Officers attacked and arrested Wesley Lowery (Washington Post) and Ryan Reilly (Huffington Post) on Wednesday afternoon simply for recording them -- slamming one into a soda machine and knocking another's head into a glass door. Then, more reporters were shot with rubber bullets and gassed along with protesters. It was a gut-wrenching, sickening scene,” Deanes said.

“This isn't Afghanistan. It's not a war zone. But the police are treating United States citizens like enemy combatants, violating their civil rights at every turn.”

In fact, the Governor did do something to curb the rising tide. Thursday he announced that he was bringing in the State Highway Patrol to take over policing of the city. The action was acknowledged and appreciated, as the public at large has apparently lost all respect for the local police force.

What really happened?

From what we have learned, the two young men were walking home from an area convenience store, and were within a minute of their destination. It was early afternoon, just before 2 pm, and the friends were engaged in a conversation as they walked along the quiet street.

Victim's friend witnessed his death

Then, as Johnson told msnbc, a police vehicle pulled up and an officer shouted to the boys to ‘get the f— onto the sidewalk’.

They told the officer that they were just a minute from their destination and kept walking. As they did, the officer slammed on his brakes and put the truck in reverse, coming within inches of the two walkers.

In moments, Johnson said the officer opened his door and hit them with it, which may have angered the officer. Then he grabbed Brown through his window, by the neck, and a physical altercation ensued. The policeman pulled his gun out, and “He said, ‘I’ll shoot you.’” Johnson told msnbc.

Johnson said he was within arm’s reach of Brown and the officer when the first of several shots was fired. “I saw the barrel of the gun pointed at my friend,” said Dorian Johnson, 22. “Then I saw the fire come out of the barrel.”

Johnson says they both feared for their lives and took off running, though Brown was bleeding from the first shot fired. Johnson hid behind a car, while the officer went after Brown on foot, gun in hand.

He says that the officer shot at Brown and hit him in the back, and Brown stopped, put his hands in the air and faced the policeman, who then put six more bullets in the chest and head of the unarmed 18-year old high school graduate.

The officer who pulled the trigger did a very interesting thing next.

He did nothing.

He did not call dispatch and let them know there was a person bleeding to death in the street. He did not call an ambulance to try to save a life.

He did not call his superiors to let them know he had just discharged his weapon into a human being.

It was the news media who notified dispatch, who notified the police station that one of their own had left a citizen dead on the pavement. When the police came back, they were in full force, setting up a perimeter around the scene to try to control the growing crowd of angry neighbors.

A number of witnesses have come forward to share their stories, and cell phone video of the killing apparently does exist. The Ferguson Police Department had the St. Louis County police come to run the investigation, and Attorney General Eric Holder said that the FBI will help local authorities undertake a “thorough, fair investigation.”

The identity of the police officer, who is on paid leave, has still not been revealed, though it is just a matter of time until it is known. There are 53 police officers in Ferguson, Missouri. Three of them are black, so that leaves 50 names that can be sorted purely through process of elimination.

As the day turned to night Monday, protests increased and were met with rubber bullets and tear gas.

The Brown family is suffering from the shock.

“He was a good boy who didn’t deserve any of this,” said the grieving father, Michael Brown Sr..

“I just wish I could have been there to help my son,” said Michael’s mother.

On Monday, Michael was to have arrived at a nearby technical college for the start of his freshman year. Just graduating high school is a remarkable milestone for many. This young man was on his way to college.

Anonymous Statement

Two days ago, the group Anonymous issued a statement to Ferguson. Whether or not it has influenced any progress is yet to be known, but we do have reports of the Ferguson police department email server going down. Coincidence?

Here is what Anonymous released:

Greetings world, we are Anonymous.

On August 9th in Ferguson, Missouri the 17 year old and unarmed Mike Brown was shot several times and killed by an officer of the Ferguson Police Department.

His body was left to lie in a pool of blood in the sweltering heat for hours while 15 police departments militarized the area against protesters, sealed the roads leading to Ferguson in a vain attempt to prevent protesters from reaching the city. The police have clearly crossed a line in the sand.

For this reason Anonymous will not be satisfied this time, as we have in the past - with simply obtaining justice for this young man and his family.

Anonymous demands that the Congressional Representatives and Senators from Missouri introduce legislation entitled "Mike Brown's Law" that will set strict national standards for police conduct and misbehaviour in the USA.

To the good people of Ferguson, take heart - and take your streets. You are not alone, we will support you in every way possible. Occupy every square inch of your city. Demand justice, staying silent today could result in the death of your kid tomorrow.

Message from "Anonymous"

To the Ferguson Police Department and any other jurisdictions who are deployed to the protests: we are watching you very closely. If you abuse, harass - or harm in any way the protesters in Ferguson we will take every web based asset of your departments and governments off line.

That is not a threat, it is a promise. Attacking the protesters will result in the release of personal information on every single member of the Ferguson Police Department, as well as any other jurisdiction that participates in the abuse of this States own law. We will seize all your databases and E-Mail spools and dump them on the Internet. This is your first and last warning.

The time has come for more than simple justice for these atrocities. The time has come to draw a line in the sand. The time has come to bring those to justice, who served to protect us, not kill us.

Until justice prevails, hack and protest will replace it.

Operation Ferguson engaged.

We Are Anonymous. We Are Legion. We do Not Forgive. We do Not Forget. Ferguson, Expect us.




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