During recent times, there seems to be a never ending trend of African-Americans being arrested and/or killed by law enforcement just because they acted a bit aggressively. Well, if you’re being apprehended for something that you didn’t do, why wouldn’t you feel defensive? Just like with the case of Michael Brown, whose death sparked the outrage of so many people all over the world.
Michael Brown Jr.
Michael Brown’s death was the source of the Ferguson unrest. He was already surrendering to the cops when he was shot and killed.
Darren Dean Wilson
Wilson was the Missouri cop who shot and killed Michael Brown. He’s also had a history of racism.
Stealing in progress
A call was made to 911 wherein a stealing was reportedly happening at Ferguson Market and Liquor.
Shots fired
Wilson had already fired shots in self defense, assuming that Brown was approaching him
Less than 90 seconds
It only took less than 90 seconds for Wilson to get to the store and shooting Michael Brown.
20 units dispatched
It’s quite odd to know that 20 police cars were dispatched to the scene, when one or two could have sufficed if the shooting was indeed justified.
Left for 4 hours at the scene
Another thing that outraged the local community was the fact that Michael Brown’s body was left at the scene for four hours.
Launching of an investigation
As with other cop-related killings, an investigation was launched to see who was really at fault. This was also fueled by the outrage of the local African-American community.
Clearance from civil rights violations
The U.S. Department of Justice conducted their own investigation and ended up clearing Wilson from any civil rights violations.
Grand jury decision
A grand jury decided to not indict wilson and he was exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing
Dorian Johnson
Johnson was with Brown with the incident happened and he testified that Wilson got aggressive with the two of them even though they were trying their best to comply to his commands.
Ferguson unrest
The events that transpired and the clearance of Wilson ended up inspiring the Ferguson unrest. Riots and chaos flooded the streets.
International reaction
People all over the world were appalled with the case. It garnered coverage from major news outlets from all over the world.
“Hands up, don’t shoot”
Because Brown had apparently put his hands up so that Wilson wouldn’t shoot him, protesters chanted “Hands up, don’t shoot” during demonstrations in his memory.
Resignation of the police chief
Because of the unrest in Ferguson, the police chief decided to resign in order to prevent further violence from happening.
Wrongful death suit
The Brown family filed a wrongful death suit against Wilson and the City of Ferguson. The case is still ongoing as of May 2017.
Antonio Martin
During the protests, Antonio Martin was also shot and killed by cops, which only agitated protesters even further.
“I know I did my job right.”
Wilson still maintains his innocence, stating that he was only doing his job.
Peaceful protests
While there may have been violent protests, some groups still opted to maintain peace in order to let their cries for justice be heard.
Apology to Michael’s parents
While the police chief did apologize to Brown’s parents for what had happened, the couple were unmoved by it, as the apology wouldn’t bring their son back and they only want justice for his death.
Memorial
A memorial for Brown was erected in front of the Ferguson Market and Liquor to remember his death.
“Peace and calm”
President Barack Obama requested protesters to maintain peace and calm instead of answering everything with aggression.
Rev. Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton was also a prominent figure during Michael’s funeral and even delivered a eulogy for him.
“Don’t shoot me”
Another chant by protesters were the words, “Don’t shoot me,” something that they shout whenever cops move in to try and pacify their demonstration.
Aftermath
Michael Brown’s death was also one of the most iconic cases that get mentioned whenever #BlackLivesMatter gets mentioned. He won’t be forgotten and his death will serve as an example of what shouldn’t happen in the hands of cops.