What really happened in Ferguson?
It is hard to establish a credible source for this event, as there are many different accounts and perspectives of the Ferguson shooting. The following information is a summary from multiple accounts of the Ferguson case.
All around the world, individuals are constantly fighting for their opinions and pleas to be heard. However, recent statistics regarding the United States show that members of the African American race are arrested and apprehended more frequently than any other race. Having occurred only two months ago, the death of Michael Brown serves a prime example to the public of when justice is inadequately carried out.
On August 9th, 2014, in the town of Ferguson, Missouri, the police station received a call about a person who has fallen ill. Another call came in reporting a robbery in a local convenience store. Four minutes later, officer Darren Wilson, responding to the call, ran into two young teenagers, Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson, jaywalking across the street. Brown reassured the officer that the two were almost at their destination. Things turned physical as the conversation escalated into an argument. A single gunshot, fired by Wilson, erupts into several more, resulting in the death of Brown. The only two legitimate witnesses, Officer Darren Wilson and Dorian Johnson, both have contrasting claims about the incident.
Recalling the scene, Johnson explained that Officer Wilson was the first to initiate physical hostility. He reported that the first words Wilson said to them were “Get the f--- on the sidewalk.” According to Johnson, Wilson forcefully pulled Brown into the police vehicle by grabbing his neck. In an attempt to get away, Johnson hid behind a car as Brown continued to run. It was then that the first bullet was fired. Although Brown got on his knees and put his arms up to surrender, Wilson continued to shoot.
A collection of similar cases can be related to the Ferguson shooting. John Crawford II, age 22, was killed on August 4th, 2014 in Walmart after being accused of threateningly pointing a gun at people. The police shot Crawford before he could explain that the gun he was holding was a replica taken from the shelves of the store. Kimani Gray, age 16, was killed on March 9, 2013 after reportedly being involved in “suspicious behavior” with a group of young men. Oscar Grant, age 22, was shot and killed on January 1, 2009, by a Bart Officer who claimed that he had meant use a taser instead. Kendrec Mcdade, aged 19, was shot by the police based on false claims for having possession of a gun.
The cops responsible for these deaths have not been arrested or brought to justice, despite tangible evidence working against them. These six deaths have, among thousands, not reached justice, primarily because the voice of society has continued to remain unvoiced, unrecognized, and ignored.
After these incidents, peaceful protests to bring forth justice for Michael Brown were ignored. Many of these protests later turned into violent riots instigated by the police.
All around the world, individuals are constantly fighting for their opinions and pleas to be heard. However, recent statistics regarding the United States show that members of the African American race are arrested and apprehended more frequently than any other race. Having occurred only two months ago, the death of Michael Brown serves a prime example to the public of when justice is inadequately carried out.
On August 9th, 2014, in the town of Ferguson, Missouri, the police station received a call about a person who has fallen ill. Another call came in reporting a robbery in a local convenience store. Four minutes later, officer Darren Wilson, responding to the call, ran into two young teenagers, Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson, jaywalking across the street. Brown reassured the officer that the two were almost at their destination. Things turned physical as the conversation escalated into an argument. A single gunshot, fired by Wilson, erupts into several more, resulting in the death of Brown. The only two legitimate witnesses, Officer Darren Wilson and Dorian Johnson, both have contrasting claims about the incident.
Recalling the scene, Johnson explained that Officer Wilson was the first to initiate physical hostility. He reported that the first words Wilson said to them were “Get the f--- on the sidewalk.” According to Johnson, Wilson forcefully pulled Brown into the police vehicle by grabbing his neck. In an attempt to get away, Johnson hid behind a car as Brown continued to run. It was then that the first bullet was fired. Although Brown got on his knees and put his arms up to surrender, Wilson continued to shoot.
A collection of similar cases can be related to the Ferguson shooting. John Crawford II, age 22, was killed on August 4th, 2014 in Walmart after being accused of threateningly pointing a gun at people. The police shot Crawford before he could explain that the gun he was holding was a replica taken from the shelves of the store. Kimani Gray, age 16, was killed on March 9, 2013 after reportedly being involved in “suspicious behavior” with a group of young men. Oscar Grant, age 22, was shot and killed on January 1, 2009, by a Bart Officer who claimed that he had meant use a taser instead. Kendrec Mcdade, aged 19, was shot by the police based on false claims for having possession of a gun.
The cops responsible for these deaths have not been arrested or brought to justice, despite tangible evidence working against them. These six deaths have, among thousands, not reached justice, primarily because the voice of society has continued to remain unvoiced, unrecognized, and ignored.
After these incidents, peaceful protests to bring forth justice for Michael Brown were ignored. Many of these protests later turned into violent riots instigated by the police.
Despite the Brown's family's repeated calls for peace, violent protests have been common ever since Michael Brown's death on August 9, 2014. During these riots, officers are seen riding on armored vehicles while being equipped with pistols, shotguns, and automatic rifles. To keep protestors from advancing, these police officers used tear gas, flash grenades, and shot smoke to disperse crowds and enforce a strict curfew. After a few days, the name of the police who shot Michael Brown was released and reportedly on paid leave. The St. Louis Grand Jury is still deciding whether or not Darren Wilson will face charges, but it is possible that Wilson will not need to face charges at all. The autopsy results are unclear and many different witness accounts suggest different stories about the Ferguson incident.
Shortly after the violent protests which resulted in tear gas and other forms of violence, citizens from Gaza reach out to Ferguson through social media. This constitutes concern and raises awareness about international corruption - through popular social media like Twitter, Palestinians provide tips on how to deal with tear gas. The image on the left hand side shows some of the "tweets" of advice from Palestinians to Ferguson citizens.
Shortly after the violent protests which resulted in tear gas and other forms of violence, citizens from Gaza reach out to Ferguson through social media. This constitutes concern and raises awareness about international corruption - through popular social media like Twitter, Palestinians provide tips on how to deal with tear gas. The image on the left hand side shows some of the "tweets" of advice from Palestinians to Ferguson citizens.
A recent figure shows the relative percentages of black and white residents in Ferguson, Missouri.
Other statistical reports show that black residents account for approximately 86% of vehicle stops and 93% of the arrests are made from these stops. In further conducted studies, percentages of people arrested by age and race show that African Americans are apprehended more frequently than any other race (by representation of population). |