RESIDENTS of Ferguson, Missouri, near St. Louis, held vigils and protests Sunday in response to the fatal police shooting of an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, 18. Word of the shooting quickly spread on Saturday via text-messaging. Rioting also broke out yesterday. Stores were looted, one was set on fire and bullets were fired at a police helicopter. According to police accounts, Brown was shot after he and a friend had a physical confrontation with a police officer in which Brown attempted to take the officer’s gun. Brown had recently graduated from high school and was planning to attend college in a few days. Benjamin Crump, the lawyer who represented Trayvon Martin’s family, has been retained by Brown’s family.

Leslie McSpadden, Brown’s mother

The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports:

A Post-Dispatch photographer on the scene moments earlier saw broken glass and people rushing into the store, with someone yelling, “Everything’s free at the QuikTrip!”

He moved away after being threatened by bystanders and was later ordered out of the area by police.

It was not known if the looters were part of a crowd of at least hundreds who gathered tonight near Saturday’s shooting scene, in the 2900 block of Canfield Drive, in remembrance of Michael Brown, 18.

The crowd had choked off West Florissant to traffic, including police cars.

Some people were seen making off with lottery tickets and breaking into the cash drawer at the QuikTrip.

A Post-Dispatch reporter in that area was slugged from behind and helped away by police officers. He was not seriously hurt.

Michael Brown

Michael Brown

— Comments —

Anti-Globlist Expatriate writes:

All the headlines I see about this incident refer to the St. Louis police shooting an ‘unarmed teenager’, and the fact that this individual was shot after a physical confrontation in which he tried to grab a police officer’s gun is buried down near the bottom of each article.

Also, note that in the photograph of Michael Brown in which he’s wearing a red shirt, he’s making a gang symbol for our edification. I don’t think that’s mentioned in any of the articles, either.

Laura writes:

According to this report, it is not clear whether Brown, or the friend he was with, pushed the police officer into his car and tried to get his gun.

Anti-Globalist writes:

In most jurisdictions in the United States, including the State of Missouri, whenever someone dies as the result of a felony, those committing the crime in question can be charged with what’s called ‘felony murder’.

Assaulting a police officer (not to mention trying to take his gun) is a felony anywhere in the United States – in Missouri, it’s a Class B felony.

If the other man was in fact the only one of the two who assaulted the police officer and tried to wrest away his gun, that individual should be charged with felony murder, irrespective of any other circumstances which might be brought to light or charges which might arise.

Somehow, I don’t think the rioters are demanding he be charged with felony murder, though.

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