Ferguson protests: Day 9 [live updates]
Gov. Jay Nixon calls off curfew, calls in National Guard; Holder heads to Missouri
After another night of violent clashes between police and protesters in Ferguson, Mo., Gov. Jay Nixon issued an executive order early Monday calling in the National Guard to maintain order as tensions over the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, continue to rise. Check back here for live updates.
Update, 6:20 p.m. ET: CNN's Don Lemon, who has been reporting from Ferguson throughout the day, was threatened with arrest by a police officer while he was live on the air. The officer eventually moved past Lemon as police forced a large group of protesters to move from a sidewalk to an empty parking lot across the street.
Don Lemon of CNN being threatened with arrest by county cop #Ferguson https://t.co/PkKh4hDpnQ
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) August 18, 2014
“@FOX2now: Police and protesters on West Florissant in #Ferguson via @Bommaritoauto SkyFOX helicopter pic.twitter.com/9ENGoALPik”
— Melanie Moon (@Moon_Melanie) August 18, 2014
Several minutes later, a photographer working for Getty Images was arrested.
Getty photographer arrested #ferguson http://t.co/0PHFD4QwIR
— Amy K. Nelson (@AmyKNelson) August 18, 2014
Just saw the arrest of one photographer on West Florissant Avenue in #Ferguson.
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) August 18, 2014
I walked right around and in between his arrest. Why wasn't I arrested? #ferguson
— Amy K. Nelson (@AmyKNelson) August 18, 2014
Update, 6 p.m. ET: "Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm, who grew up in Missouri, addressed the situation in Ferguson before Monday's St. Louis Cardinals home game.
Jon Hamm: "Grew up in Normandy, rode my bike through #Ferguson. Good people outweigh the bad, but the bad make noise pic.twitter.com/0pd2XcbJsB
— Joe Holleman (@STLsherpa) August 18, 2014
Update, 5:45 p.m. ET: Clashes between demonstrators and police have not been limited to Ferguson. In St. Louis, at least six people participating in a related protest outside a government office were arrested.
Police now arresting peaceful protesters for no apparent reason, state office building # ferguson pic.twitter.com/EiiLImfcNo
— Zeke Johnson (@ZekeJohnsonAi) August 18, 2014
Update, 5:30 p.m. ET: The St. Louis County Police Department issued an alert to members of the media that "an organized protest zone is being established" at Ferguson and W. Florrisant avenues.
.@stlcountypd: W. Florissant to be closed to through traffic within hour, "organized protest zone" to come #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/yyvVAqUZw5
— STL Public Radio (@stlpublicradio) August 18, 2014
Update, 5 p.m. ET: St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch said a grand jury could begin hearing evidence in the case as early as Wednesday to determine whether Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will face criminal charges.
Roll call at the command post. City, county and Highway Patrol going over the plan for tonight. #ferguson pic.twitter.com/DXErDuOANA
— joelcurrier (@joelcurrier) August 18, 2014
Update, 4:54 p.m. ET: In an interview on CNN, Gov. Nixon defended his decision to call in the National Guard.
"Yesterday, clearly a very criminal element" fired shots at police and attempted to overrun a command post, Nixon said.
The National Guard, he said, was called in to protect law enforcement so peaceful protests can continue. The governor also praised police for not firing back.
"When you're getting shot at," it's hard to do, Nixon said.
Update, 4:39 p.m. ET: At the White House, President Barack Obama announced that Attorney General Eric Holder will be traveling to Ferguson later this week to meet with prosecutors and community leaders.
"It's clear that the vast majority of people are peacefully protesting," Obama said of the protesters. "It's also clear a small minority of individuals are not."
Violence, he said, "undermines, rather than advances, justice."
"We must listen, and not just shout," Obama said. "Let's seek to heal rather than wound each other."
Obama did not comment on the specifics of the case. ("I have to be very careful about not prejudging these events," he said.) But the president did reference "My Brother's Keeper," his initiative to bridge opportunity gaps and inspire African-American boys to succeed.
"Part of the ongoing challenge of perfecting our union has involved dealing with communities that feel left behind," he said. “In too many communities around this country, young men of color are left behind and seen as objects of fear.”
"Our constitutional rights to speak freely, to assemble, and to report in the press must be vigilantly safeguarded." —Obama #Ferguson
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2014
Update, 4 p.m. ET: At a press briefing, Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ronald Johnson says "peaceful protest will be allowed in Ferguson tonight." Looting, however, will not.
Update, 3:30 p.m. ET: Photos tweeted from Ferguson appear to show police arresting two men outside McDonald's.
Police arrest two in front men in front on McDonalds. #Ferguson #mine Brown pic.twitter.com/90d8LYK5QJ
— Laurie Skrivan (@LaurieSkrivan) August 18, 2014
Police arresting man outside McDonalds, apparently for unlawful assembly. Crowd shouting, cars honking. #ferguson pic.twitter.com/DGczlKS8wh
— Rory Carroll (@rorycarroll72) August 18, 2014
Skirmishes resume at McDonald's. pic.twitter.com/EyVT2BiU1J
— Nigel Duara (@nigelduara) August 18, 2014
Update, 3:05 p.m. ET: The White House says President Barack Obama will give an update on the situations in Iraq and Ferguson at approximately 4 p.m. ET. Earlier, the president was briefed on the Missouri protests by Attorney General Eric Holder.
At 4pm ET, President Obama will give an update on Iraq and the situation in Ferguson, Missouri. Watch here → http://t.co/b4tqL3oo0v
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 18, 2014
Update, 3 p.m. ET: A national survey conducted by the Pew Research Center over the weekend found that the public is "divided over whether Brown’s shooting raises important issues about race or whether the issue of race is getting more attention than it deserves." And that divide is largely based on race.
65% of blacks say police have gone too far in responding to the #Ferguson shooting’s aftermath. Whites are divided. http://t.co/kDIp7GrpxQ
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) August 18, 2014
Update, 2:45 p.m. ET: NBC says that Brian Williams will anchor "NBC Nightly News" live from Ferguson tonight. CNN's Anderson Cooper is also there.
Tonight, @BWilliams will anchor a special edition of @NBCNightlyNews from #Ferguson. @CNN's @andersoncooper is also here.
— Jeanie Smith (@JeanieSmithKSDK) August 18, 2014
I had no clue when all of this happened how big of a story was unfolding. Yesterday I talked to TV stations in Germany, Australia and the UK
— Jeanie Smith (@JeanieSmithKSDK) August 18, 2014
Update, 2:30 p.m. ET: Police gather in front of Ferguson's QuikTrip, a convenience store that was destroyed during riots last week and later served a meeting point of sorts for protesters.
The QuickTrip, blocked off by police #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/6RzzPHYYVt
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
Update, 2:00 p.m. ET: Earlier Monday, President Barack Obama met with Attorney General Eric Holder to receive an update on the situation in Ferguson.
Obama meets w/ Attorney General Holder to receive an update on the situation in Ferguson, MO. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/epweFS83oI
— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) August 18, 2014
Update, 1:42 p.m. ET: Outside of the fire station, faith leaders hold a small press conference urging protesters to "go home at sunset." Their message, though, came before Gov. Nixon announced there would be no curfew.
A group of leaders who have been acting as peacekeepers is saying they will ask "young people" to go home at sunset pic.twitter.com/LyIemccP6D
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 18, 2014
Update, 1:38 p.m. ET: After two consecutive nights of clashes between police and protesters who ignored a curfew imposed by authorities, Gov. Nixon says there will not be a curfew in Ferguson tonight.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon calls off #Ferguson curfew: http://t.co/zPsWZm1Usc
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) August 18, 2014
Update, 1:00 p.m. ET: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that more than 12 people were treated for injuries during Sunday's demonstrations, the most since the protests over the August 9 shooting began.
Update, 12:15 p.m. ET: St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay tweeted his support of Nixon's decision to call in the National Guard, citing a "growing number of outside agitators."
An increasingly organized and growing number of outside agitators in Ferguson has prompted Gov Nixon to shift strategies. #fgs
— MayorSlay.com (@MayorSlay) August 18, 2014
Update, 11:15 a.m. ET: Michael M. Baden, the former chief medical examiner for the City of New York, who performed an autopsy at the request of the family, tells reporters that Brown was shot at least six times. Baden says the bullet that likely killed Brown went "through the brain."
Lawyers for Brown's family say the results of the preliminary autopsy support witness accounts that Brown was trying to surrender when he was shot.
"Why would he be shot in the very top of his head? A 6-foot-4 man," attorney Daryl Parks says. "Makes no sense."
Private examiners: Last 2 shots were likely to #MikeBrown's head. "All these shots were survivable except the one to the top of the brain."
— Jason Sickles (@jasonsickles) August 18, 2014
Near the end of the press conference, an audience member asks why, given those results, Wilson had not been arrested.
"Who gets arrested is not a forensic science decision," Baden says.
Update 11 a.m. ET: Attorney Benjamin Crump, the lawyer representing Brown's family, says his clients requested the independent autopsy to get answers to three questions:
"How many times was my child shot?"
"Was my child in pain?"
And, "What more do we have to give them to arrest the killer of my child?"
Update, 10:45 a.m. ET: Earlier Monday, Bobby Hughes, a St. Louis photojournalist, collected empty tear gas canisters and other items used by police over the weekend.
Found on the streets this morning near the QT and McDonalds. pic.twitter.com/F7jFq3J0fs
— Mazda Road Runner (@RoadRunnerSTL) August 18, 2014
Update 10:15 a.m. ET: In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Lesley McSpadden, Michael Brown's mother, calls for Wilson's arrest, saying the officer should be held "accountable for his actions."
Update, 9:45 am. ET: Images of National Guard troops preparing for deployment on the streets of Ferguson begin to trickle in.
National Guard members loading equipment into these trucks. Unclear how many members will assist in #Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/dWRwSMXl4c
— Adrienne Broaddus (@abroaddus) August 18, 2014
MO National Guard troops & Military Police getting Humvees loaded up. Looks like they'll head out soon. @FOX2now pic.twitter.com/6AbvpvnjVt
— Lisa Hart (@LisaGHart) August 18, 2014
Missouri National Guard departs HQ on Kingshighway for #Ferguson #KSDK pic.twitter.com/zlK9HpkuQd
— James Tuxbury (@tuxKSDK) August 18, 2014
Update, 8:30 a.m. ET: A copy of the executive order issued by Gov. Nixon has been released.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's the full text of @GovJayNixon's executive order calling Nat'l Guard to #Ferguson: pic.twitter.com/AV4D1x2cFK
— Jason Rosenbaum (@jrosenbaum) August 18, 2014
Update, 8 a.m. ET: Public schools, which had been scheduled to open Monday, remain closed:
Due to continuing unrest in some areas of Ferguson, and in the interest of the safety of students and families, all schools in the Ferguson-Florissant School District will be closed Monday, Aug. 18. Information we have received from officials on the scene late Sunday evening has contributed to concerns we have about children walking to school or waiting for buses on streets impacted by this activity, debris on the roads that could impact transportation, and continued disruption affecting our students and families in the area. While our teachers, principals and administration are eager to welcome our students back to school and to begin the 2014-2015 school year, the safety of students is our primary concern.
Update, 7 a.m. ET: CNN has obtained video from Piaget Crenshaw, who says she witnessed the shooting. The footage shows Wilson and another officer standing near Brown's body. Crenshaw said Brown was running away from police and then turned around when he was shot.
Update, 6:30 a.m. ET: The New York Times reports that a private autopsy performed at the request of the family found that Brown was shot at least six times. The autopsy, performed by Dr. Michael M. Baden, former chief medical examiner for the City of New York, concluded that Brown was shot twice in the head and four times in his right arm. One of the shots entered the top of his skull, the Times said.
Below, an image from the private autopsy released by Brown's family.
Family's independent autopsy reveals #MikeBrown was struck at least 6 times by #Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson. pic.twitter.com/QNWu0nY9Pj
— Jason Sickles (@jasonsickles) August 18, 2014
Images and video posted to social media by journalists and others on the ground in Ferguson captured the chaos as it unfolded.
While you were sleeping, #Ferguson erupted. The National Guard is on its way. My latest post: http://t.co/PSJrMNUlW6 pic.twitter.com/O8ZNdMbnKA
— Danny Wicentowski (@D_Towski) August 18, 2014