that the building is properly secured for the night. At that time, the building was supposed to be empty. He was not expecting to have interaction with anyone and did not have his body camera activated for the routine building check.”
Jackson went on to say in the statement that “He (the wounded officer) was suddenly attacked after interrupting a burglary attempt and sustained an injury from a gunshot. Generally, the body cameras are utilized with any interaction with members of the public and in any situation when an officer feels it is necessary, and has the opportunity to activate the camera.”
Since there was no video documentation of the incident and no eyewitnesses have been reported, it will remain to be seen what the actual circumstances were involving this shooting. There have been previous reports of police being fired on since the beginning of the mass demonstrations and rebellions which erupted after the death of Michael Brown.
Police Defend Wilson Drawing Justice Department Response
Support among some within the white community, including the police department which is overwhelmingly Euro-American, is strong for not charging or prosecuting Wilson.
Demonstrations have been held in St. Louis County in defense of Wilson and a bracelet saying “I am Darren Wilson” has been seen on the wrists of police officers.
The United States Justice Department is currently in Ferguson investigating civil rights issues related to the shooting of Brown. Two letters from an investigator urged police officials to prohibit their personnel from wearing the bracelets while on duty patrolling the majority African American community and to always make their name plates visible to civilians.
Excerpts from the letters stressed that “Officers wearing name plates while in uniform is a basic component of transparency and accountability,” wrote Christy E. Lopez, deputy chief of the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The failure to wear name plates conveys a message to the community that, through anonymity, officers may seek to act with impunity.”
Nonetheless, the people of Ferguson are determined to win some semblance of justice for Michael Brown. Demonstrations are continuing with the specific demand that Wilson be indicted and that reforms be instituted involving police-community relations.
During Oct. 9-13 a series of demonstrations are planned that will attract people from throughout the country. The unrest in Ferguson further exposed the continuing national oppression and state repression so prevalent in the U.S.
Although President Barack Obama was forced to mention the disturbances in Ferguson before the General Assembly within the context of his main goal of prompting yet another imperialist war in the Middle East, neither his administration or the Congress provide any programs and policies aimed at eradicating racism and economic exploitation. Unemployment and poverty remain disproportionately high within African American communities throughout the U.S.