Protest and outrage has been recorded as a St. Louis County grand jury has brought no criminal charges against Darren Wilson, a white police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, more than three months ago in nearby Ferguson.Wilson, 28, shot and killed Brown on a Ferguson, Mo. street following a scuffle on Aug. 9 as the teenager and a friend walked back from a convenience store.
Witnesses said that Brown had his hands raised and was trying to surrender when Wilson approached with his gun and fired repeatedly. However, reports claim Wilson told grand jurors Brown was coming at him aggressively.
According to Foxnews,the decision by the grand jury of nine whites and three blacks was announced Monday night by the St. Louis County prosecutor, Robert P. McCulloch..He said
" the grand jurors were "the only people who heard every witness ... and every piece of evidence." He said many witness presented conflicting statements that ultimately were inconsistent with the physical evidence.These grand jurors poured their hearts and soul into this process,"
When the decision was announced,Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, burst into tears and began screaming before being whisked away by supporters.Brown's family immediately issued a statement following McCulloch's announcement.
"We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions,While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen."
President Obama addressed the nation less than an hour after the decision was announced, pleading with protesters to remain peaceful.
"I join Michael's parents to ask anyone who protests this decision to do so peacefully," Obama said. "Let me repeat Michael's father's words: 'Hurting others and destroying property is not answer. I do not want my son's death to be in vain.'"
But soon after McCulloch's statement, a crowd gathered in Ferguson erupted in anger, throwing things at police and knocking down a barricade after McCulloch's announcement. Several gunshots were heard on the streets.
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