Police in Ferguson, Missouri, released body camera and security videos showing a man charging at an officer during protests marking the anniversary of Michael Brown’s shooting. The suspect, Elijah Gantt, knocked Officer Travis Brown to the ground, causing a severe head injury. The incident occurred as officers were trying to confront protesters who damaged a fence near the police station. Chief Troy Doyle described the attack as a deliberate act and criticized those who did not condemn it.
Doyle said that Brown, who had unconscious and on the ground, had wanted to make a positive impact in the community. Gantt was charged with assault and fourth-degree assault for kicking another officer. Other protesters faced various charges like resisting arrest and property damage.
The release of the videos came on the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death, which sparked the Black Lives Matter movement and led to a week of protests and unrest in Ferguson. Doyle noted that the police department had made changes in response to activists’ demands, including providing body cameras for officers and training in implicit bias and crisis intervention. The officer involved in Brown’s death no longer works for the department.
Overall, the incident highlighted ongoing tensions between law enforcement and the community in Ferguson, with Chief Doyle emphasizing the need for officers like Brown who aimed to make a positive impact.
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