Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Michael Brown: Gunned down in Cold blood or Justified Killing?

Ferguson, Missouri is the new focal point of racial tensions. The issue at hand is the death of Michael Brown at the hands of Ferguson Police Office Darren Wilson. Facebook, Twitter, and the media has been all over this story with speculation on what took place. Instead of allowing the investigation to play out, the typical race baiting machine - Rev. Al & New Black Panthers - show up to stir the pot. To make matters worse, the city is put on curfew after several nights of looting and rioting.

No one is willing to take a breath and allow the facts to sort themselves out. After discussing this on Facebook with others and reading media reports we do know certain indisputable facts. The facts that no one is disputing are:

  1.  FPD Wilson approached Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson as they were walking in the middle of the street to ask them to get out of the street.
  2. After passing Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson, FPD Wilson hears on the radio a description of two people involved in a strong-arm robbery earlier in the day.
  3. FPD Wilson believes Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson fit that description and backs up his vehicle to investigate further.
  4. Struggle ensued in/near the FPD vehicle between FPD Officer Wilson and Michael Brown.
  5. Shot was fired in the vehicle.
  6. Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson fled on foot.
  7. FPD Officer Wilson got out of the car to pursue.
  8. FPD Officer Wilson order Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson to "Freeze".
  9. Michael Brown turned around.
  10. Michael Brown was shot multiple times being hit six times with all bullets entering the body from the front.
  11. Michael Brown was killed with final bullet to head.
The rest of the conversation is speculation. The big question that remains is: Was Michael Brown standing still with his hands raised as some eyewitnesses claim or Was Michael Brown running at FPD Wilson as some eyewitnesses claim. The answer to this question will determine the course of action taken against FPD Wilson.

For society, did we learn nothing from the Martin/Zimmerman case? That we need to allow the facts to come out before we rush to judgment. Please let's all take a step back, a deep breath and stop passing along speculation as fact. A young man is dead, families are grieving - we owe it to them and society at large to allow the facts to be heard in their entirety before judgment.

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