Shoot / Don't Shoot Michael Brown Justification

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This is certainly a highly contested event that is in the national spotlight. A Ferguson Police Department (Missouri) officer shot and killed an unarmed young black man on August 9, 2014. The title of this string is meant to cover exactly what it states, the justification for shooting or for not shooting Michael Brown.

According to news sources 18 year old Michael Brown, in the company of 22 year old Dorian Johnson, stole a box of Swisher Sweets Cigars valued at $48.99 from a Quik Trip store by means of strong arm robbery. These facts should not be in contention because there is a video of the robbery and Johnson later admitted that Brown took “cigarillos”. It should also be noted that Brown is listed as being 6’4” and 292 pounds. After responding to an unrelated call, Officer Darren Wilson stopped Brown and Johnson because they were walking down the middle of the road blocking traffic. Officer Wilson, who is 28 years old and has been a Ferguson police officer for 6 years, was not aware that Brown was a robbery suspect at the time. Accounts of the story then differ. Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson stated that one of the men pushed Off. Wilson into his police car. Brown assaulted and struggled with Officer Wilson inside his car, a struggle ensued over the officer’s weapon and a shot was fired inside the car. It was also stated that the struggle moved to the street where Brown was shot multiple times. There is also a report that the officer was injured and had swelling to his face. In contrast, CNN located two new witnesses (Tiffany Mitchell and Piaget Crenshaw) who said they never saw the struggle inside the officer’s car. In addition, Dorian Johnson stated that Off. Wilson ordered him and Brown onto the sidewalk, Off. Wilson grabbed Brown’s Neck and tried pulling him into the car before pulling his weapon and firing it. Johnson then said that Brown started to run away while Off. Wilson gave chase and began firing.

Some of the news accounts above are conflicting and it can be hard to weed out fact from fiction. As most of us know, this is not unusual in law enforcement. Add to that the fact that departments cease to give out information during criminal and internal investigations for obvious reasons, but that makes them fair game for people who know they can’t fully defend themselves or actions until the investigations are over. As for the credibility of witnesses and those seeking their 15 minutes of fame, you’re left to make your own determination on that one.

Some Sources Utilized:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nati...GFN/story.html

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...line/14051827/

http://gawker.com/watch-conflicting-...r-p-1621414491