With tensions high around the nation surrounding the issue of the Michael Brown shooting, it is important that all sides carry out their positions on the case with factual understanding. As a young journalist, I follow a myriad of news outlets on social media and try to keep up to date with press coverage from both sides of the story. For those who are not looking to “take sides” but rather interested in being an informed US citizen keeping up with national issues, what are the facts?
The Facts
On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black man was fatally shot in Ferguson, Missouri by Darren Wilson, 28, a white police officer.
The Saint Louis County medical examiner’s autopsy report shows that Brown received 9 gunshot wounds: three wounds to the head, two to the chest, three to the right arm, and one to the inside of his right hand near his thumb and palm.
Though the details are disputed, both eyewitness’ and police agree that Brown and his friend Johnson, were walking along the street when officer Wilson confronted them and told them to get off of the street. Eyewitness accounts all agree that there was some sort of physical altercation between Brown and Wilson at the police car followed by Brown running from the officer. The officer shot at Brown as he ran and continued to shoot as Brown stopped, turned around and put his hands in the air.
According to Officer Wilson’s account, he cut the men off after they refused to get off of the street, he tried to open his door which Brown slammed on him and then punched him in the side of the face. Wilson grabbed Brown’s arm and pulled his gun, and he testifies that Brown tried to grabbed the gun so he fired two shots. Brown then turned to run away as Wilson shot a series of shots.
Editor’s note: We do not mean to imply that Brown was shot in the back. All reports indicate that Wilson shot was Brown was facing him.
Eyewitnesses: Dorian Johnson, Piaget Crenshaw, and Tiffany Mitchell
Wilson in hospital following the incident.
Ferguson, Missouri is a majority-black town. According to the 2010 census, about 67 percent of residents are black and 29 percent are white. Out of the 53 commissioned officers in the Ferguson Police Department, only three are black, and the chief of police, Thomas Jackson, is also white. According to a racial profiling report from the Missouri Attorney General’s office, of the 5,384 traffic stops made in Ferguson last year, 86 percent of them targeted black drivers. 21.7 percent of black people who were searched were found to be carrying contraband while searches of white people produced a contraband “hit” 34 percent of the time. 92.7 percent of all people arrested by the Ferguson police in 2013 were black, and 6.9 percent were white.