Keeping up to date with Ferguson, Missouri

Kyra Adams, Entertainment Editor

For the last 4 months, the citizens of Ferguson, Missouri as well as nations across the globe have been tirelessly fighting for their vocies to be heard, due to the events that transpired between Officer Darren Wilson and 18 year old Michael Brown. A shot heard around the world ignighted an extreme polarization of the American people that is only continuing to grow. Since August 9th, a plethora of evidence, conspiracies, and bold statements from both sides have saturated the media. Was Brown really 35 feet away as initially stated, or was he 148 feet away as the evidence showed? Many are quick to judge Michael Brown’s past, even using a picture that wasn’t even Brown himself, while not looking into the fact that Wilson’s first and only other police force before working with Ferguson was disbanded by authorities due to racially charged excessive force and abuse. The following is a timeline depicting the events since the shooting to present day. August 8th: 911 receives a call about a robbery, 10 minutes later Michael Brown is found walking with his friends and is shot to death during the encounter. Brown’s body was left in the street for about 4 hours. August 10th: St. Louis County Police Chief Joe Belmar states there was an altercation between Brown and Wilson inside of the cop car, and a shot was fired within the car. There were then more shots fired. Later that day, there was a candle light vigil to honor Brown. The Brown family hired attorney Ben Crump as their council, the same man who represented the family of Trayvon Martin August 11th: Police disperse a crowd of protesters using fire tear gas, wearing riot gear. August 12th: Obama calls for reflection, while promising Brown’s father an investigation of the event.

August 13th: More police violence against protesters.

August 14th: After numerous complaints of the way the police were handling the situation, the state troopers are called to take over. The protests were then “boisterous but peaceful.” August 15th: Darren Wilson is identified by Police Chief Tom Jackson as the officer that shot Brown. Jackson also released a video of Brown harassing a store clerk as he took a box of cigars. Jackson later stated that Wilson and Brown’s altercation was separate from the robbery. August 16th: Nixon declares a state of emergency, and enforces a curfew for the city.

August 17th: Attorney General Eric Holder orders an autopsy on Brown from the Justice Department. There were gunshots at a protest later that day, resulting in police using tear gas.

August 18th: Nixon lifts the curfew and brings the National Guard in. Brown family releases private autopsy. August 20th: St. Louis Country grand jury begins to hear evidence.

August 21-22nd: National Guard begins a gradual withdrawal. August 25th: Michael Brown’s funeral service. September 3rd: Nixon lifts the state of emergency. September 4th: U.S Justice Department announced civil investigation of Ferguson police. September 25th: Jackson makes a video apology for Brown’s parents. October 21st: Special commission will examine social and economic conditions in Ferguson. St. Louis reports that a county autopsy suggests Brown was shot once at close range, and six times overall. November 14th: St. Louis Post-Dispatch releases the audio and video recordings from August 9th, including the radio calls made by Wilson prior to the shooting, as well as Wilson at the station later that evening. November 17th: The Democratic governor declares a state of emergency, calling the National Guard yet again despite waiting for a grand jury’s decision. He also places the St. Louis County Police Department in charge of Ferguson, who will work with members of the St. Louis city police and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

November 18th: Nixon names 16 people to the Ferguson Commission, which was a diverse group. November 20th: Michael Brown Sr. releases a video pleading for peace while awaiting the Judge’s decision on whether or not Darren Wilson will face criminal charges.

November 24th: Officer Darren Wilson was not convited of any crimes, nor indited from the police force. Riots in Ferguson ensued.

Due to the conflict taking place in Ferguson, protests have erupted in many other cities and the grand jury has come under fire for more recent decisions regarding indictiments where police brutality is brought into question.