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good. i hope they get his name. he shot an unarmed kid, and the police there are now totally out of control.
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Anonymous has claimed to have released the officer's name.
I've been watching the live feed of the protests and following reporters who are there and I'm shocked. What the fuck? Are we back in the 1960s? Why are reporters being arrested?
He shot an unarmed kid.
I saw a meme about how that white kid who shot up the movie theater was apprehended without being killed, yet this unarmed black kid was killed.
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@nana87: absolutely ridiculous arresting the press.
One thing that has been consistent with several eye witnesses is right before the teen was shot dead, he was in the middle of the street facing the officer three car lengths away with his hands in the air. The officer was not in immediate physical danger, yet he used deadly force.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: That's what just makes me boil in anger every time. He was running *away* and the cop shot him. I don't care exactly what happened leading up to the shooting, but who shoots at someone (unarmed) running away?
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Anonymous is now also saying that if the St. Louis PD doesn't respond, they'll release a photo of the officer one hour, his address 2 hours later, and then more info after that. And that they also have video footage of Mike Brown's body being shoved into the back of a PD SUV. There's also a photo of police dismantling Al Jazeera's cameras after they teargassed the camera crew. Um, don't they learn about the First Amendment in police academy?
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @Freckles: Yep. This makes me so angry. His hands were up, he said he didn't have a weapon...and he gets shot and killed. Dead on the street for hours while neighbors watch.
And people are so afraid for this officer's family? Okay, well, I'm afraid for anyone who looks like me.
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@Jruess: @blackbird: @loveisstrange: the whole situation scares me. My family lives there now but we aren't from st. louis so I don't know the history but there are so many tensions I just do not see how it could possibly be a good idea right now.
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@Freckles: Yes, yes, yes. If you shoot someone in the back running away, you should be prosecuted. I don't care what led up to it. An officer's weapon should be discharged only when he/she is actually in danger. If someone is running away from you and is unarmed you are not in danger. So really the only details in the case that matter are -- was he unarmed and trying to leave the situation? Yes? Then the cop should be punished. A police officer is supposed to serve and protect, not serve as judge, jury, and executioner.
ETA: Oh, and as a journalist and an American, I'm appalled by the treatment of reporters in this situation. Two reporters arrested while they were quietly working in a McDonald's. At least one of the arresting officers refused to give his name, which is not OK. Other journalists have been teargassed, shot with bullets. So much for the first amendment, huh?
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@mrsjazz: > I'm afraid for anyone who looks like me. <
People should not have to live in fear of police because of their skin color or how they dress.
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A badge is not, and should never be, a "get away with murder card". If a civilian security guard had commited this same act, his name would be all over the media.
We need transparency and we need justice.
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Obama is supposed to be making a statement any minute now. This is really a horrible story, and one that I, admittedly, hadn't heard much about until today. So thank you to Anonymous for that, at least.
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@mrsjazz: I have to agree with you. I'm alarmed at how many people are concerned about the "protection" of the officer who overstepped his bounds by a lot. Not a little. This would be an entirely different story if Michael Brown was white. This in itself proves how sick sections of the south and Midwest truly are.
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@Jruess: THIS.
Governor Nixon announced he is pulling the County Police out of the situation. I think thats a really good idea. Their actions have gotten really out of hand. http://www.thewire.com/national/2014/08/missouri-congressman-says-gov-is-pulling-the-st-louis-police-off-ferguson/376072/
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I've resisted commenting on social media and, in the past, I've be relatively proud of my social network regarding other current and political events. But this past week I've unfriended countless people for their blantant and harmful racism regarding this incident. I'm from a STL county and a majority of my friends still live there. I'm so sad to see the number of people I know that are oblivious to their white priviledge - including the police officers I know personally.
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@Nskillet: please don't characterize an entire section of the country like that. 1. There are plenty of people who live in the south who are appalled by this. 2. This type of thing has happend all over the country, not just in "the South". 3. St. Louis is not "the South", it's in the Midwest.
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@Shutterbug: I'm listening to his statement right now. He has made some really great points.
@loveisstrange: "Governor Nixon announced he is pulling the County Police out of the situation. I think thats a really good idea. Their actions have gotten really out of hand."
- Agree. I feel like the investigation should be handled federally. -
@mrs.shinerbock: yes, yes, and yes.
@loveisstrange: I think they need and have to pull County police out so I'm glad to hear they are.
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@grizz: I missed it, any idea where I can watch it at?
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@mrs.shinerbock: @jetsa: Yes, and thank you.
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@jetsa: I just saw it on NBC, but maybe they'll have video on CNN?
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@grizz: I'm searching, you'd think it'd be easy to find
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@mrs.shinerbock: Thanks! The South is not all like this. Nor is St. Louis the south.
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For future reference whitehouse.gov streams the President's briefings live. I found that and Fox super easy to get to using my phone. Obama didn't say much we didn't already know...
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@mrs.shinerbock: Nor is St Louis usually this bad, to be honest.
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@grizz: And yes, I agree with you. The St Louis officials have kind of lost all credibility at this point.
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Is resistance about releasing the officer's name just about protecting the officer at this point? With the level of rage and tension, do you really think some idiot won't think it's perfect justice to burn his house down or shoot his family? Once his name is released, it's a snap to figure out the address. Yes, he should be prosecuted... but it's not as simple as let's know who he is so he can be brought to justice.
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@jetsa: There are some quotes from the news conference in this article:
ETA: There's video, too!
http://abcnews.go.com/US/president-obama-excuse-excessive-force-police-ferguson/story?id=24980370
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@mrsjazz: I agree. I'm terrified for people who look like me. Thanks for saying it. I just can't believe how out of control this has gotten. It's surreal.
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@loveisstrange: actually, my husband is from St Louis and his family lives there now, and in terms of racial tension and division, it really is this bad. All I hear from my in-laws is how unsafe they feel as suburban white people, whereas what I see is that black people are really the ones who need protection. This case is just a particularly horrible example of the injustices and racism.
there was a study that showed that while two-thirds of the people who live in Ferguson are black they represent over 80% of stops and 90% of arrests. meanwhile, whites are the ones who are found to have contraband more frequently. racial profiling is not OK.
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@lawbee11: thank you!
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@MoonMoon: I actually just talked to my mom who lives just west of the City and works near Ferguson and she said that once you get out of that immediate area its fine, everything is as normal as it can be at this point.
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@MoonMoon: I was referring to the current violence. Our cops are pretty shady, but they don't usually run around tear gassing people. I should have clarified my statement.
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@MoonMoon: please do not generalize for all of St. Louis. One persons opinion is not necessarily how the entire city feels. Every city has areas that are known for crime, St. Louis is no different.
I'm surprised how quick everyone is to judge. Do I think the PD has handled the situation appropriately - no. Do I think they are having to make split-second decisions in tense situations - yes. Let's not forget these officers dealing with the protestors are working overtime, verbally abused, spit at, having things thrown at them, etc. I'm sure it's very tough to be in their shoes right now. As someone who lives in at. Louis, I fully support the use of tear gas or similar means to disperse the crowd so it does not turn into a mob like situation again. It is my understanding the protestors have been informed to disperse prior to the use of such tactics.
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@Jruess: I don't condone destruction of property or looting. Has that occurred every night? The news reports I have read indicated nightly protests not mobs for the last four evenings? People have a right to gather, assemble, march, and protest.
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@Jruess: So you think the way this is described is an acceptable use of police force?
"While there had been some taunts from the crowd, no one appeared armed and there was no evident threat to police. But as darkness descended, forces moved in, announcing on a bullhorn that the gathering was no longer peaceful and began firing tear gas and stun grenades, choking protesters lined along a main thoroughfare in Ferguson." http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/reporters-ryan-reilly-and-wesley-lowery-arrested-ferguson
Freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, these are rights in this country, rights that are currently being violated. A peaceful gathering of protesters should not be subject to demands of dispersal, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @Jruess: It hasn't occurred every night. It's unfortunate that some people looted and ruined businesses, but there have also been peaceful protests. I've been watching the livestream and following the reporters who are there--people have a constitutional right to protest and march peacefully. Teargas to disperse a crowd exercising their constitutional rights as Americans, no.
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@mrsjazz: @MrsSCB: at this point you would think we would have a guidebook of what to do/ not do when really bad things happen and people are upset. Steadily poking people does no one any good.
Has an explanation been offered yet as to why the teen's body was in the street for four hours? Or why 911 emergency services were cut to Ferguson?
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: @MrsSCB: it was my understanding the city of ferguson has city ordinances in place that give the officers rights to disperse crowds - busy preparing for my daughters bday party this weekend but I thought that's what the news said. I don't know all the legalities so I shouldn't Further, I don't think they just show up and start employing those tactics. I believe the protestors have been notified in advance and are not complying. In talking with a co-worker who lives near there, I do think there have been other instances of violence but are not wide-spread like Sunday.
Let's keep in mind these news stories are not the whole picture and can be biased.
I'm not sure how the rights are being violated? My understanding is they are protesting all day. And what about the rights of the business owners and other individuals that live there who's property was damaged? No concern for their rights? No one seems concerned for their rights.
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@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: The police were citing shots being fired at them from nearby buildings as the reason the body was not removed quickly, last I heard. I also heard them saying that it took that long to conduct their intial invesitgation.
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@Jruess: why don't you think anyone is concerned for the business owner's rights? No one on here said we agree with looters or vandalism.
The businesses will be made whole:
http://m.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2014/08/12/ferguson-crisis-most-business-insurance-covers.html?r=fullThe people who feel scared they may be the next one killed by police are not likely ever going to have a sense of security.
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