A man, who was later named as Tyrone Harris, was shot by Ferguson police at the protest to mark the first anniversary of the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.
Ferguson police said the man had opened fire on them and now is in a “critical, unstable” condition and due to have surgery.
Police also said he was armed with a stolen gun and they had been tracking him. Four officers have been placed on administrative leave.
Photos from the scene showed a young black man lying bloodied on the ground.
He was face down and handcuffed. In a video posted on Twitter, a man can be heard urging the police to “please, get him some help”, as the injured man lies still.
The wounded man’s name and age have not been released by police.
Photo Reuters
The St Louis Post-Dispatch identified him as 18-year-old Tyrone Harris, having spoken to his father, the paper said.
The shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson by white police officer Darren Wilson in August 2014 sparked demonstrations across the US.
It fuelled a national protest movement against racial bias by police officers.
Shots were heard at about 23:15 local time on August 9 as a large crowd gathered on West Florissant Avenue, at the end of a sombre, peaceful day of commemorations.
St Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told reporters that after “an exchange of gunfire between two groups” the suspect, believed by police to be armed, left and encountered officers in an unmarked SUV.
The suspect fired on the vehicle, Jon Belmar said, and the plainclothes detectives returned fire from inside the van.
There was then a further exchange of fire after the officers left the vehicle.
The officers were not wearing body cameras, he added.
President Barack Obama announced a federal program to help pay for lapel-mounted cameras for US police to record their interactions in the wake of the nationwide protests on perceived policing injustices.
In the early hours of the morning, police used loudspeakers to urge people still gathered at the scene to disperse, saying “this is no longer a peaceful protest”.
Before this incident, hundreds of people stood silent for four-and-a-half minutes at the spot where Michael Brown was killed, representing the number of hours that his body lay in the street unattended.
Michael Brown’s parents are suing Ferguson authorities over their son’s death.
Michael Brown, 18, was shot dead by Ferguson police in August 2014.
The wrongful-death suit seeks a minimum of $75,000 compensation.
The shooting of the unarmed Michael Brown by white police officer Darren Wilson in Missouri became a national cause and sparked protests, some violent.
The shooting was reviewed by a grand jury, which decided in November not to charge Darren Wilson.
However, Michael Brown’s parents say they have new forensic evidence that raises questions about the police version of events.
“The narrative of the law enforcement all across the country for shooting unarmed people of color is the same: That they had no other choice,” attorney Benjamin Crump said.
“But time and time again, the objective evidence contradicts the standard police narrative.”
Along with seeking punitive damages from the City of Ferguson, the suit also calls for a court order prohibiting the use of police techniques “that demean, disregard, or under-serve its African-American population”.
A St Louis County grand jury and the Department of Justice had declined to prosecute Darren Wilson, who resigned in November. Civil cases generally require a lower standard of proof than criminal cases.
This is not the only current civil case involving the police killing of an unarmed black man. In New York, the family of Eric Garner is seeking $75 million in damages.
March 2014:James Boyd, an unarmed homeless man camping in Alberquerque, is shot dead by two officers. Video of the incident leads prosecutors to say the officers acted with “deliberate intention” and they are charged.
July 2014:Eric Garner, an asthma sufferer, is stopped by police in New York and placed in a chokehold after refusing to be handcuffed. He dies despite repeatedly telling officers he cannot breathe. No police are charged.
August 2014: Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, is shot dead by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. The shooting leads to protests, first in Ferguson and later nationwide. A grand jury decides not to charge Darren Wilson.
November 2014:Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy, is shot dead in a playground by Cleveland police after a local resident reports he is pointing a gun at passers by. The gun turns out to be a toy. A grand jury will decide whether police will face charges.
December 2014: Jerame Reid, 36, is shot dead during a routine traffic stop in New Jersey. An officer claims Jerame Reid was reaching for a gun, but video footage seems to suggest he was attempting to step out of the car, hands raised.
April 2015: Walter Lamer Scott, 50, is shot eight times in South Carolina as he runs away from Officer Michael Slager. Walter Scott dies at the scene. The shooting is captured on video and Michael Slager is charged with murder.
Jeffrey Williams has been arrested in connection with the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri.
Jeffrey Williams, a 20-year-old African-American, has been charged with two counts of assault and gun violations.
The police officers were wounded when shots were fired at them during a protest on March 12.
Ferguson has been a flashpoint for race relations following the shooting of black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in August 2014.
Giving details of the arrest, County Prosecutor Robert McCulloh said Jeffrey Williams had admitted to his “participation in firing the shots”, but added, “it was not certain if he had been targeting police”.
The prosecutor said that Jeffrey Williams claimed he fired the shots from a car in a dispute with other unidentified individuals.
Robert McCulloh added that a weapon had been recovered and that Jeffrey Williams is believed to have been the only shooter.
Jeffrey Williams, an, had taken part in the peaceful demonstration earlier in the evening outside police headquarters.
The protest followed the resignation of Ferguson’s police chief after a Department of Justice report found racial bias in his department.
The police officers were wounded in the cheek and shoulder, and have since been released from hospital.
President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder condemned the attack.
Police chief Thomas Jackson was the sixth Ferguson official to be fired or step down. He had initially resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to resign.
Thomas Jackson was widely criticized after the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in August and the weeks of demonstrations that followed.
The DoJ report found substantial evidence of intentional discrimination in the police and justice system.
The report contended that African-Americans were at the receiving end of 90% of officers’ use of force.
In November, a St Louis County grand jury found that white police officer Darren Wilson did not break any laws when he shot Michael Brown.
Police across the country have faced criticism following the deaths of a series of black men in contentious circumstances.
President Barack Obama has condemned the criminal acts in Ferguson, Missouri, one night after two police officers at a protest were shot.
Barack Obama said the protesters had “legitimate grievances” but described the shooters as “criminals” who should be arrested.
The shootings on March 11 happened during a demonstration after it was announced Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson would resign.
Further protests on March 12 passed peacefully. The two officers have been released from hospital.
The protests are the latest of many in the city since a policeman shot dead Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in August 2014.
Police Chief Thomas Jackson quit one week after a Justice Department report alleged widespread racial bias in his department and the city’s court system.
Protesters gathered outside the police station after Thomas Jackson’s resignation was announced.
Photo AP
Late on Wednesday, one officer was shot in the face and the other was hit in the shoulder as protestors were heading home for the night.
“I think that what had been happening in Ferguson was oppressive and objectionable and was worthy of protest. But there was no excuse for criminal acts,” President Barack Obama said on the Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.
“Whoever fired those shots shouldn’t detract from the issue; they’re criminals,” he added.
Tensions have been high in Ferguson since August and escalated in November after a grand jury declined to prosecute Officer Darren Wilson for Michael Brown’s killing.
On March 12, protesters held a candlelight vigil for all victims of violence. They later marched to the police department while beating drums and chanting.
There were no rows of police officers in riot gear unlike previous demonstrations.
Ferguson police temporarily ceded security responsibilities for the protests to state troopers and county police.
The protests ended without a single arrest about 23:00 local time.
Two police officers have been shot in Ferguson, Missouri, where unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was killed in August 2014.
One officer was shot in the face and one in the shoulder, St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said.
Both suffered “very serious gunshot injuries” but were conscious, he said.
The officers were shot following the resignation of Ferguson’s police chief, Thomas Jackson, after a federal report alleged widespread racial bias in his department.
Protesters had gathered outside Ferguson police headquarters on March 11, in what was initially a relatively low-key demonstration.
Photo St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Shortly after midnight at least three shots were fired as the crowd of protesters was starting to break up, Jon Belmar said.
He said he was assuming that “these shots were directed exactly at my police officers”, rather than the officers being hit by stray bullets.
One protester, Keith Rose, said he saw an officer “covered in blood”, and that other officers were carrying and dragging him, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.
Police were keeping protesters in the area in order to take witness statements, Jon Belmar said.
Demonstrators were calling for further action to be taken over the federal report, and for more resignations in the police department, Keith Rose said.
Police chief Thomas Jackson was the sixth Ferguson official to be fired or step down. He had initially resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to resign.
Ferguson’s police department was widely criticized after the shooting of Michael Brown in August and the weeks of demonstrations that followed.
In November, a St Louis County grand jury and the US Justice Department found that Officer Darren Wilson did not break any laws when he shot Brown.
However, Michael Brown’s shooting and the riots that followed spurred a federal investigation, which found overwhelming racial bias in the town’s policing practices.
US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the federal government will “use all power that we have to change the situation”.
That could include dissolving the police force and turning over law enforcement responsibilities to neighboring agencies.
Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson has agreed to resign, the city said in a statement.
Thomas Jackson’s resignation follows the departure of several Ferguson officials after a federal report alleged widespread racial bias.
US Attorney General Eric Holder said the Department of Justice would reform the force, possibly dismantling it.
Ferguson, Missouri, came under investigation after a white police officer killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August 2014.
Thomas Jackson had resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to step down, after the shooting of Michael Brown last summer and the weeks of demonstrations that followed.
The city said it would be giving Thomas Jackson a severance payment and would pay for his health insurance for one year.
The resignation is effective on March 19 at which time an acting chief will assume the role.
The St Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper has posted what it said was Thomas Jackson’s resignation letter.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this great city and to serve with all of you,” the letter reads.
The city said that it will conduct a “nationwide search” for a permanent replacement.
Last week, the DoJ released a report that accused the city of using the police force and court system to generate profit.
Since the report was released, Ferguson manager, a judge, two police officers, and a court clerk have either resigned or been fired.
The parents of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teenager shot dead by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, are to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, a family lawyer has said.
Michael Brown, 18, was killed in August 2014 by Officer Darren Wilson, sparking nationwide protests.
On March 4, the US justice department said it would not prosecute Darren Wilson in federal court.
It said it had found racial bias and illegal actions by Ferguson police.
“He did not have to kill Michael Brown,” lawyer Daryl Parks said of Darren Wilson.
The justice department report said police in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson overwhelmingly arrested and issued citations to black people to boost city revenues through fines and court fees.
That created a culture of distrust, the report concluded.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Ferguson Police Department on March 4 when the decision not to charge Darren Wilson was made.
In November, a St Louis County grand jury declined to charge Darren Wilson, who has since left the police department.
A New York judge is hearing arguments over whether to disclose records of the secret grand jury proceedings in the case of black man Eric Garner who was killed by a white police officer.
The panel declined to bring charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo for putting Eric Garner in a chokehold that led to his death.
The prosecutor opposes the move, saying it will hamper witness co-operation.
Similar records were released for a Missouri grand jury investigating the death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.
St Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch released the records, with witness names redacted, after the jury declined to charge Officer Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown, 18, in Ferguson.
Michael Brown and Eric Garner’s death sparked protests across the US about police killings and police relations with black and other minority communities.
Eric Garner, 43, was stopped by police for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes in Staten Island in August and placed in a chokehold by Mr Pantaleo.
In a witness video, Eric Garner, who had asthma, is heard saying “I can’t breathe”. A city medical officer later ruled the death a homicide stemming from the effects of the chokehold.
The US justice department has launched a civil rights investigation in the case.
The New York Civil Liberties Union and other groups who are suing cited the outcry over the Garner grand jury’s decision not to indict despite the video of the incident, as a compelling exception to the normal secrecy of the grand jury.
Disclosure is needed “to restore public confidence in our criminal justice system and to inform the current debate that has begun regarding the role of the grand jury as an instrument of justice or injustice” NYCLU argues in court documents.
The office of Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan said grand jury witnesses in the case came forward to testify “with full assurances of secrecy”.
Making the records public, they argued, would bring an “inevitable result of harassment or retaliation” and a “chilling effect on the very type of witness cooperation that is most desired and the most difficult to obtain”.
Judge William Garnett will hear arguments in the case on Thursday.
The NYCLU cites the decision of Missouri prosecutors to release panel detail in the Wilson case as precedent, but Daniel Donovan says that was also the wrong decision.
News outlets, Daniel Donovan argued, compromised witness anonymity in Missouri by their reporting of the grand jury proceedings and the same could happen in New York.
The US Department of Justice will not bring civil rights charges against Officer Darren Wilson who killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
DoJ officials told the New York Times, who first reported the story, the investigation had concluded.
Michael Brown, 18, was shot by Officer Darren Wilson in August, sparking nationwide protests.
A separate investigation into alleged discriminatory policing by the Ferguson police department remains open.
A grand jury decided not to bring criminal charges against Darren Wilson in 2014, prompting further unrest in the St Louis suburb and elsewhere.
Now it appears that investigators will not recommended federal charges either, although the decision is ultimately up to outgoing US Attorney General Eric Holder.
In order to bring federal charges, the justice department would need to show Darren Wilson intentionally deprived Michael Brown of his civil rights – and prove he used more force than the law allowed.
Experts say the standard is difficult to meet and many high-profile cases have not resulted in similar charges.
In a statement, Michael Brown’s family said they would wait for official word from the justice department before commenting.
Councilman Antonio French, who has been outspoken during the protests, told CNN he thinks many will be disappointed if no charges are brought.
Missouri police have clashed with protesters in St Louis after an officer shot dead a black teenager close to where another black youth, Michael Brown, was killed in August sparking national protests.
A crowd of about 100 gathered at the scene in St Louis early on December 24 after scuffles the night before.
Police said the man who was shot, Antonio Martin, 18, had pointed a gun at the police officer.
For weeks there have been widespread protests over alleged police brutality.
Berkeley is about 2 miles from the St Louis suburb of Ferguson, where 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by a white officer.
St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said a police officer was responding to a call about a theft when he saw Antonio Martin and another man at a petrol station in North Hanley Road and approached them.
He said that Antonio Martin pointed a handgun at the officer, and the officer responded by firing three shots. One of the shots hit Antonio Martin, he said.
Photo AP
The officer “responded with what he thought was commensurate force at the time”, Col. Jon Belmar said, adding that “most of us would feel in imminent danger of losing our lives at that point”.
Col. Jon Belmar described the incident as “a tragedy for everybody”, and said a prosecutor had been assigned to investigate the case.
“Our hearts certainly go out to the family, but bad choices were made,” he added.
“This individual [Antonio Martin] could have complied with the officer; he could have run away; he could have dropped the gun. Things did not have to end with him approaching an officer with a 9mm pistol in his hand.”
Berkeley Mayor Theodore Hoskins said that both the city and St Louis County would hold independent investigations.
The incident could not be compared with the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Theodore Hoskins said, adding: “The video shows that the deceased pointed a gun… at the officer.”
Between 200 and 300 people gathered at the scene after the incident, Col. Jon Belmar said, adding that bricks were thrown at police officers, and three explosive devices set off.
Four people had been arrested for assaulting police officers, he said.
Police are releasing video footage of the run-up to the shooting, and an image of the second man, who fled the scene.
The handgun said to belong to Antonio Martin has been recovered by police.
Thousands of people have protested in Washington DC against the recent killings of unarmed black people by police.
Relatives of Michael Brown, shot dead in the Missouri town of Ferguson, and Eric Garner, who died being restrained in New York, were among them.
Both died after encountering police, but grand juries decided not to bring charges, sparking anger and unrest.
Another demonstration in New York also drew thousands despite chilly weather.
Speakers at the Capitol called for changes to US legislation.
Lesley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown, told the crowd: “What a sea of people. If they don’t see this and make a change, then I don’t know what we got to do. Thank you for having my back.”
The mood in Washington DC was described as calm but defiant, with a large number of police on standby.
Photo Reuters
Earlier in the day, a small group of protesters from Missouri disrupted the schedule by taking to the stage at the starting-point, on Freedom Plaza, and blowing a bullhorn.
They complained that the protest, which was organized by long-established civil rights groups, was staid and ineffective.
Michael Brown, 18, was shot dead on August 9 during an altercation with a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
Eric Garner, 43, died while being held down by a white police officer on July 17.
He had been challenged over the alleged sale of loose cigarettes on a street in Staten Island, New York.
The event was caught on camera and his dying plea of “I can’t breathe” has become a slogan of the protesters. It echoes the adoption of “Hands up! Don’t Shoot!” – a Ferguson refrain alleging that Michael Brown was surrendering to police when the fatal shots were fired.
Relatives of three other black people killed in controversial shootings were also expected to attend the march, according to the National Action Network:
Akai Gurley, 28, was shot dead by New York police on November 20
Tamir Rice, 12, was shot dead in a Cleveland, Ohio, park on November 22 while carrying a pellet gun
Trayvon Martin, 17, was shot dead on February 26, 2012, by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida
Marchers crowded Pennsylvania Avenue for the walk from Freedom Plaza to the Capitol, but the actual numbers were not immediately clear.
Some in the crowd, which was made up of both black and white people, held banners saying: “Stop racist police”, “I can’t breathe”, and “President Obama seize this moment. The ancestors are watching.”
The Rev Al Sharpton, a leading civil rights advocate, called for “legislative action that will shift things both on the books and in the streets”.
The funeral of Akai Gurley who was fatally shot by police in November has taken place in Brooklyn.
Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old black man, was shot in the chest after he entered the stairwell of his apartment building.
A grand jury will be asked whether to prosecute the officer responsible.
The move comes days after a grand jury decided not to charge another New York policeman over the chokehold death of another unarmed black man, Eric Garner, sparking protests across the country.
The US was already facing race-related unrest over the decision not to indict a white police officer who had shot dead a young black man, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Missouri.
The funeral took place at Brown Baptist Church in Brooklyn on December 6.
Akai Gurley’s mother, stepfather and two-year-old daughter were among those who attended the service.
Activist Kevin Powell delivered the eulogy for Akai Gurley.
“Akai was innocent, innocent, innocent,” he said.
“This is modern-day lynchings, over and over again. Akai Gurley was simply the latest victim of this,” he added.
The funeral featured music from gospel singers and a poem read by Akai Gurley’s younger brother.
Protests against police violence towards minorities continued on December 6 for a fourth day.
The latest spate of protests was sparked by the decision by a grand jury not to charge a New York policeman over the death of Eric Garner, who died after police put him in a chokehold.
Hundreds streamed along Fifth Avenue and other parts of Manhattan on Friday evening , with banners and chants of “Black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe” – a reference to Eric Garner’s last words.
In announcing the grand jury – a body that determines whether to bring criminal charges – Brooklyn’s District Attorney Ken Thompson said it was important to conduct a full and fair investigation.
Police say Akai Gurley and his girlfriend had opened a door into the unlit stairway and an inexperienced officer on a routine patrol fired his gun.
New York Police Commissioner William Bratton called the shooting an accident. However, the medical examiner has ruled that the death is a homicide.
Civil rights leader the Reverend Al Sharpton had initially planned to speak at Akai Gurley’s memorial service but later said he would pay his respects without making an address.
Activists have called for another march in Washington on December 13, followed by a summit on civil rights.
A civil rights investigation into the death of Eric Garner, a black man who was placed in an apparent chokehold by a white New York police officer, is to be launched by the US Justice Department.
The inquiry was announced by Attorney General Eric Holder after a grand jury decided against charging the officer.
That decision prompted street protests in New York. Activists have called for a march in Washington next week.
President Barack Obama said the case “speaks to larger issues”.
The decision not to charge the officer came just a week after another grand jury, in Ferguson, Missouri, decided not to charge a white police officer who shot and killed black teenager Michael Brown.
The ruling into the death of Michael Brown in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson sparked riots and protests across the country.
Eric Garner, 43, was stopped on a street in New York on July 17 on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.
The case drew attention when mobile phone video of police officer Daniel Pantaleo arresting Eric Garner surfaced.
The video shows a lengthy exchange between Eric Garner and police, during which he verbally refuses to be handcuffed.
Several officers then move to restrain Eric Garner, with Daniel Pantaleo holding him by the neck.
The detainee, who is asthmatic, can be heard shouting: “I can’t breathe!”
That cry was echoed by protesters who marched through the streets in New York late on Wednesday, occasionally disrupting traffic. They chanted “I can’t breathe!” and “Hands up – don’t choke!”
Attorney General Eric Holder announced “an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious” investigation into potential civil rights violations in the case.
The justice department, he said, would conduct a “complete review” of material gathered in the local investigation.
“All lives must be valued – all lives,” Eric Holder added.
Urging demonstrators to remain peaceful, he said he was continuing a review of how to heal a “breakdown in trust” between police and communities.
After the grand jury decision President Obama said: “When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that is a problem, and it’s my job as president to help solve it.”
Eric Garner family lawyer Jonathon Moore said he was “astonished” by it.
Michael Brown’s stepfather is being investigated for inciting illegal activity during protests in Ferguson.
Video of Louis Head shows him yelling: “Burn this [place] down!” before last week’s riots over perceived racial injustice in the Missouri town.
Louis Head spoke as a grand jury announced no charges for a white police officer who shot and killed the unarmed teenager.
The incident sparked a nationwide dialogue about race relations.
St Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman told reporters on December 2 that authorities want to talk to Louis Head about his comments amid a larger investigation into arson and looting during the Ferguson protests.
Twelve commercial buildings were destroyed by fire that night, after the jury’s decision was announced.
Family attorney Benjamin Crump has called Louis Head’s recorded comments “raw emotion”.
The officer who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Darren Wilson, resigned from the force over the weekend.
The policeman said he had feared for his life, but Michael Brown’s supporters said the teenager was attempting to surrender when he was shot.
The investigation into Louis Head comes one day after President Barack Obama requested $263 million to improve police training, pay for body cameras and restore trust in policing.
Officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9, has resigned from police force, his lawyer Neil Bruntrager says.
Neil Bruntrager told media the resignation was effective immediately.
Darren Wilson himself has been quoted by as saying he had taken the step because of threats of violence if he stayed.
Ferguson and other US towns and cities saw rioting after a jury decided Darren Wilson, 28, should not be charged.
The August 9 shooting in the St Louis suburb and last week’s state grand jury decision triggered a nationwide debate over relations between black communities and law enforcement.
The St Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper said Darren Wilson had decided to step down after his police department received threats that violence would follow if he stayed on as an employee.
The newspaper published what it said was his resignation letter, which read: “I have been told that my continued employment may put the residents and police officers of the City of Ferguson at risk, which is a circumstance that I cannot allow.
“For obvious reasons, I wanted to wait until the grand jury made their decision before I officially made my decision to resign.
“It was my hope to continue in police work, but the safety of other police officers and the community are of paramount importance to me. It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal.”
In a subsequent telephone interview on Saturday evening, the paper quoted Darren Wilson as saying: “I’m resigning of my own free will. I’m not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me.”
He added that resigning was “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do”.
Earlier this week, Darren Wilson told media that before the shooting, Michael Brown had pushed him back into his car, hit him and grabbed at his drawn gun, and said that he felt “like a five-year-old holding on to Hulk Hogan”.
The policeman said he had feared for his life.
Michael Brown’s supporters said he was attempting to surrender to the policeman when he was shot. Some witnesses said the teenager, who was unarmed, had his hands up.
However, the state prosecutor said physical evidence had contradicted some of the witness statements.
Michael Brown was killed after being shot six or seven times.
Many in the African-American community had called for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder, but after three months of deliberation a Missouri grand jury – of nine white and three black members – made no recommendation of charges.
The decision means Darren Wilson will not face state criminal charges over the shooting.
The US justice department has also launched a federal investigation into whether Darren Wilson violated Michael Brown’s civil rights.
Pastor Jamal H. Bryant, a spiritual advisor to Michael Brown’s family, is urging African-Americans to buy exclusively from businesses owned by black people on Black Friday, America’s busiest shopping day.
Michael Brown, 18, was killed by white Officer Darren Wilson on August 9, in Ferguson, Missouri.
Jamal Bryant launched his campaign earlier in the week using the hashtag #handsupdontspend – a reference to a slogan used by Ferguson protesters. It’s been tweeted more than 7,000 times, with other hashtags pushing the campaign including #notonedime, #boycottblackfriday and #blackoutblackfriday.
“It’s my hope that black businesses and the black community will benefit,” he says, citing a study that said African-Americans collectively spend $1 trillion a year.
Jamal Bryant says that a sustained campaign of economic pressure would serve as a protest against police violence.
“America responds to money more than they do to masses,” he says.
Kicking back against Black Friday isn’t a new idea. For more than 20 years the anti-capitalist magazine Adbusters has urged people to give the shops a miss on what it calls Buy Nothing Day.
Jamal Bryant stressed his action isn’t a boycott but rather a call to support businesses owned by black people across the US.
The events in Ferguson over the past week have inspired a number of online fundraising drives, including one by a bakery that was damaged during rioting and the Ferguson public library.
Jamal Bryant cited the 1960s civil rights movement as an example of the power of economic action.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has reportedly rejected calls for a new grand jury to decide whether to charge Officer Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown.
It follows two days of unrest in St Louis and 12 other cities over a ruling not to charge Darren Wilson for the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Demonstrations appeared to dwindle on November 26 amid heavy snowfall on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday.
A handful of protesters remain in Ferguson, where Michael Brown was killed.
The family of Michael Brown said they were left “crushed” by the ruling, which has triggered nationwide debates over relations between black communities and law enforcement.
A spokesman for state governor Jay Nixon said he would not entertain the idea of bringing in a special prosecutor to present the case to a new grand jury, the St Louis Post reports.
Earlier, Jay Nixon said the “ramped up presence” of the National Guard – which more than tripled from 700 to 2,200 on Tuesday night – in the St Louis suburb had been “helpful”.
He said he would continue to monitor the situation to see if more resources were needed.
Monday’s ruling by a grand jury not to charge Darren Wilson led to violent protests and looting in Ferguson, and dozens of arrests.
Anger spread to 12 other cities, including Philadelphia, New York, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Boston.
In Oakland, California, rallies turned violent when protesters started a street fire, while in Los Angeles there were reports of 130 people arrested.
Business owners and residents were seen clearing up the streets of Ferguson on November 26.
Some celebrities are reportedly calling for a boycott to take place on Black Friday – one of the country’s busiest shopping days after Thanksgiving – over the grand jury ruling.
Michael Brown’s family say they are “crushed” by the grand jury’s decision not to charge Officer Darren Wilson.
Michael Brown Sr. told NBC news his son’s character had been “crucified”.
Separately, Michael Brown’s mother said Darren Wilson had been “disrespectful”.
Darren Wilson, who shot dead Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9, has told ABC he has a “clean conscience”.
There were protests over the ruling in 13 US cities on Tuesday night.
In Ferguson, there was some unrest as protesters scuffled with police, and a police car outside the town hall was set alight.
However, police said security was “much better” than Monday, when there was widespread rioting and looting, and more than a dozen buildings were set alight.
About 2,000 National Guard troops were deployed in the city on Tuesday night, up from 700 on Monday. Forty-four people were arrested.
Rallies in the area continued on November 26, as at least 200 protesters gathered outside St Louis City Hall, holding a mock trial for Darren Wilson.
Some demonstrators stormed the hall, shouting “shame, shame”, and forcing police to lockdown the building, AP news agency reported. Two people were reportedly arrested.
Anger at the ruling has spread to cities across the US.
Protests were reported on Tuesday night in 12 cities, in addition to Ferguson: Philadelphia, Seattle, Albuquerque, New York, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Oakland, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Portland, Chicago and Boston.
Those demonstrations were mostly peaceful, but rioting broke out in Oakland, California, where protesters started a street fire.
In Los Angeles, 130 protesters were arrested for disorderly conduct, the LA Times reported.
Police also arrested several demonstrators in Boston, Atlanta and New York, Reuters said.
Ferguson protests have spread across the US after the grand jury’s decision not to charge white policeman Darren Wilson who shot black teenager Michael Brown.
Demonstrations from New York to Seattle were mostly peaceful but rioting broke out in Oakland, California.
There was some unrest in Ferguson itself, with police making 44 arrests, but the town did not see rioting on the scale of Monday night.
Officer Darren Wilson says he has a “clean conscience”.
Darren Wilson, who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 9, told ABC News that in the struggle which preceded the shooting, he had felt “like a five-year-old holding on to [US wrestler] Hulk Hogan”.
Many in Ferguson’s predominantly African-American community had called for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder, but the grand jury’s decision means the police officer will not face state criminal charges over the shooting.
Lawyers for Michael Brown’s family denounced the grand jury’s decision as “unfair” while condemning the violence that followed the decision.
St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said November 25 had been “generally a much better night” in Ferguson, a town of 21,000 people.
Tear gas was fired just once, he said, when rioters smashed windows at the Ferguson town hall. There was only one report of shooting, he added, when a car was set alight.
Some 2,200 National Guard soldiers were deployed to assist police in keeping order in and around the town.
Protests were reported in 12 cities: St Louis itself as well as Seattle, Albuquerque, New York, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Oakland, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Portland, Chicago and Boston.
In Oakland, in the San Francisco Bay area, rioters vandalized police cars and businesses in the centre during a second night of unrest in the port city of 406,000 people.
Looting was reported in several locations, including a classic car dealership and a mobile phone store, while a main road was briefly blocked, the US broadcaster CBS reports.
Speaking from Chicago on November 25, President Barack Obama said there was “no excuse” for destructive behavior and criminal acts of rioting, adding that those responsible should be prosecuted.
The frustration seen by the grand jury’s decision, the president said, had “deep roots in many communities of color who have a sense that our laws are not being enforced uniformly or fairly”.
Barack Obama said he had ordered Attorney General Eric Holder to look at what steps could be taken to build trust in communities and make sure that “law enforcement is fair”.
Much of the debate since August has centered on whether Michael Brown was attempting to surrender to Darren Wilson when he was shot.
Speaking to ABC News in his first public comments, Darren Wilson said there was nothing he could have done differently.
“The reason I have a clean conscience is because I know I did my job right,” he said.
Darren Wilson denied witness statements that Michael Brown had put his hands up, insisting race had played no part in the confrontation.
Michael Brown’s lawyers have denounced the process that cleared police officer Darren Wilson who killed the 18-year-old as “unfair”.
Attorney Benjamin Crump said the process was “broken” a day after a grand jury opted not to send white police officer Darren Wilson to trial.
Michael Brown was killed on August 9 in Ferguson, Missouri, sparking unrest.
A police chief said violence that followed the yesterday’s verdict was worse than any the St Louis suburb had seen.
More than 80 people were arrested amid riots across several areas of St Louis. Sixty-one of those arrests were in Ferguson, with charges including burglary and trespassing.
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, who attended a news conference with Michael Brown’s family, criticized the prosecutor’s decision to announce the verdict late at night on Monday, saying it was “irresponsible”.
Al Sharpton said the jury had “broken our hearts” but he vowed to continue “to fight for a new level of accountability of policing in this country”.
Violent protests were not in the spirit of Michael Brown, Al Sharpton added, saying the young man would not “be remembered for the ashes of buildings burning in Ferguson”.
Instead, he said Michael Brown’s family would push for new legislation to protect citizens and support a “Michael Brown law” that required all police officers to wear body video cameras.
Many in Ferguson’s predominantly African-American community had called for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder, but a Missouri grand jury – of nine white and three black members – made no recommendation of charges.
Lawyers for the Brown family criticized the decision to call a grand jury rather than appointing a special prosecutor and accused state prosecutor Robert McCulloch of seeking to “discredit the victim”.
“We could see what the outcome was going to be and that is what occurred last night,” Benjamin Crump told reporters.
“This process is broken. This process should be indicted,” he added.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon tried to head off further riots on November 25 by ordering National Guard reinforcements to take to the streets of St Louis.
“The violence we saw in areas of Ferguson last night is unacceptable,” Jay Nixon said in a statement.
“That is why today I am meeting with leaders from the Guard and law enforcement to ensure the protection of lives and property.”
Much of the debate since August has centered on whether Michael Brown was attempting to surrender to Darren Wilson when he was shot, but Robert McCulloch said physical evidence had contradicted some of the witness statements.
The jury was made up of 12 randomly picked citizens from the state of Missouri. At least nine votes were needed in order to issue an indictment.
Michael Brown’s family could yet file a wrongful-death lawsuit against Darren Wilson, who is currently on paid leave.
The Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to bring charges over the killing of Michael Brown sparked violence in the St Louis suburb.
A local police chief said the violence was “probably much worse than the worst night we ever had in August” after the black teenager was killed.
St Louis county police chief Jon Belmar said he had heard 150 shots fired by crowds.
Michael Brown was shot by white police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, sparking protests.
Many in the African American community had called for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder.
President Barack Obama joined Michael Brown’s family on November 24 in appealing for calm, urging Americans to accept the decision was “the grand jury’s to make”.
“I didn’t see a lot of peaceful protest out there tonight, and I’m disappointed about that,” Jon Belmar said.
“Unfortunately this spun out of control.”
Most of at least a dozen burned businesses were “total losses”, he said, and two police cars had been “basically melted”.
“I don’t think we were underprepared,” he added.
“But I’ll be honest with you, unless we bring 10,000 policemen in here, I don’t think we can prevent folks who really are intent on destroying a community.”
Some protesters charged barricades and taunted police. Chants of “murderer” could be heard.
Police responded with smoke and tear gas.
After the situation calmed down, he added, he hoped there would be an “opportunity to really grow and change a lot of things, and make sure [Michael Brown’s] death didn’t mean nothing”.
Explaining the jurors’ decision, state prosecutor Robert McCulloch said their job had been to separate fact from fiction, and that some witness statements had been contradicted by physical evidence.
“These grand jurors poured their hearts and soul into this process,” he said.
Protesters have been chanting, “Hands up, don’t shoot” – a reference to statements by some witnesses who said Michael Brown had had his hands up in apparent surrender to the officer when he was shot.
Police say there was a struggle between Michael Brown and Darren Wilson before the shooting.
In his own testimony, Darren Wilson says that before the shooting Michael Brown pushed him back into his car, hit him and briefly grabbed his drawn gun.
The jury was made up of 12 randomly picked citizens – nine white and three black.
At least nine votes were needed in order to issue an indictment.
A grand jury has made a decision over whether to charge Officer Darren Wilson over the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Michael Brown’s family confirmed that the jury’s decision is expected to be announced later on Monday.
Michael Brown, 18, was killed by Darren Wilson on August 9 in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson.
The teenager’s death sparked protests, sometimes violent, as police were criticized for using military grade riot gear.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in the area and called in 400 National Guard troops in anticipation of protests, should charges not be filed in the case.
A White House spokesman said that President Barack Obama had urged those who wished to protest against the jury’s decision to “do so peacefully”.
The case has stoked racial tensions in the US, with many in the African American community calling for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder.
Witnesses say Michael Brown had his hands up in apparent surrender to the officer when he was shot.
Police have said there was a struggle between the teenager and the officer before the shooting.
Protests have continued in the area over the past few days in anticipation of a grand jury decision, including in Clayton, where the grand jury is meeting.
Police have put up barricades around the court house, while many shops in Ferguson have boarded up their windows ahead of the announcement.
Michael Brown’s family has appealed for calm ahead of a grand jury decision against the officer.
His father, Michael Brown Sr., said “hurting others or destroying property it not the answer” in a video posted online.
On November 24, the family called for four-and-half-minutes of silence following the jury’s decision, according to a spokeswoman for the mayor of St Louis.
Correspondents say that leaks from the grand jury testimony, including the official autopsy report, indicate there may be no indictment.
The grand jury is responsible for deciding whether Darren Wilson should be charged with any one of four possible crimes: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.
Nine out of the 12 members of this jury must vote yes to indict.
The jury consists of 12 randomly picked impartial citizens – six white men, three white women, one black man and two black women.
If the grand jury decides not to indict, the state prosecutor, Robert McCulloch, could still bring a case against Darren Wilson.
However, Robert McCulloch has already said he would not do this, but would seek permission to release as much information as possible so the public could understand the decision.
Michael Brown’s father has appealed for calm ahead of a grand jury decision against Officer Darren Wilson.
Michael Brown, a black teenager, was shot dead by police in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9.
His father said “hurting others or destroying property it not the answer” in a video posted online.
Michael Brown, 18, was killed by white Officer Darren Wilson following an altercation.
There were more protests overnight and two people arrested as demonstrators gathered outside the police station.
President Barack Obama has joined the calls for calm.
He told ABC News: “This is a country that allows everybody to express their views. Allows them to peacefully assemble, to protest actions that they think are unjust.
“But using any event as an excuse for violence is contrary to rule of law and contrary to who we are.”
Late on Friday, the FBI arrested two men suspected of purchasing explosives for use in protests, CBS News reported.
US Attorney General Eric Holder earlier urged police in the area to show restraint, providing new guidance on how to maintain public safety while protecting free speech rights.
A St Louis County grand jury is currently weighing criminal charges against the officer involved in the shooting. No word has yet been given on when a decision will be announced.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in the area and called in 400 National Guard troops in anticipation of protests should charges not be filed in the case.
The case has stoked racial tensions in the US, with many in the African American community calling for Darren Wilson to be charged with murder.
Darren Wilson, meanwhile, has maintained he acted in self-defense.
Initial protests in August turned violent as demonstrators clashed with local police using military-grade riot gear.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the state’s National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision over the killing of Michael Brown.
In a statement, Jay Nixon said the guard will “support law enforcement’s efforts to maintain peace”.
A panel is deciding whether to charge Officer Darren Wilson in the August death of black teenager Michael Brown.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the state’s National Guard in anticipation of a grand jury decision over the killing of Michael Brown
No specific date for the jury’s decision has been given.
Michael Brown, 18, was shot and killed by Darren Wilson in August after a confrontation in Ferguson, a majority-black suburb of St Louis.
His death set off protests, sometimes violent, in the area. Ferguson police and other law enforcement were criticized for being heavily armed and using excessive force during protests.
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