WSVN — In 2014, two grand jury decisions fueled outrage that erupted in protests across the country. It all started in the small Missouri town of Ferguson. 7’s Craig Stevens has our top story in the final installment of 7’s top 7.
911 call: “Get us several more units over here…there’s gonna be a problem.”
It was Saturday, Aug. 9. Michael Brown’s body lay in the middle of the street. The unarmed black teenager had been shot and killed by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson.
Their confrontation was over in a matter of minutes but the fallout would be felt for months. What followed was deepening anger…
Protestors: “Hands up, don’t shoot!”
Distrust…
Protestors: “Hey hey, ho ho, these killer cops have got to go!”
Demands for change…
Michael Brown’s cousin: “We have had enough of all this.”
…And violence.
Stores in Ferguson were looted, police in riot gear used tear gas to disperse protesters and the story started to get national attention.
President Obama: “I know that emotions are raw right now in Ferguson.”
But what actually happened during the deadly encounter, remains unclear.
St. Louis County Police Chief: “There was a struggle over the officer’s weapon.”
Michael Brown’s friend: “He turned around and he put his hands in the air.”
Police released video from inside a convenience store. They say it shows Brown shoving a clerk after stealing cigars. That incident immediately preceded the shooting.
With escalating violence, Missouri’s governor brought in the National Guard. Tensions eased slightly over the next few months as a grand jury weighed testimony and evidence.
And then the announcement.
District attorney: “They determined no probable cause exists to file any charges against Officer Wilson.”
Michael Brown’s stepfather: “Burn this m******* down!”
Within hours, parts of Ferguson were literally on fire. A dozen buildings burned cop cars engulfed and widespread looting tore the town apart again.
Then, for the first time, we heard directly from Darren Wilson.
Darren Wilson: “He gets to about eight to 10 feet and when he does that, he kind of starts leaning forward like he’s going to tackle me. And I look down the barrel of my gun and I fired and what I saw was his head and that’s where it went.
Wilson resigned from the force days later. But for the Brown family, there was no closure.
Michael Brown’s mother: “How could your conscious be clear after killing somebody, even if it was an accidental death?”
The prosecutor said witness accounts of what happened varied. Amidst the debate, the president pushed a program to equip officers nationwide with ‘body cameras.’
Eric Garner: “I’m minding my business, please just leave me alone.
But a cell phone camera had captured another police involved death in 2014. The video shows New York Police officer Daniel Pantaleo putting Eric Garner in a chokehold.
Cops were attempting to arrest the father of six on suspicion of illegally selling cigarettes.
Eric Garner: “I can’t breathe… I can’t breathe.”
Garner’s death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. However, just a little more than a week after the Ferguson grand jury decision, a New York panel returned with the same result no indictment of the officer.
Garner’s mother: “How could we put our trust in the justice system when they fail us like this?”
Rounds of protests broke out. From New York to Berkeley to Miami. Protesters here temporarily shut down a highway and marched during busy Art Basel weekend.
Protesters: “Whose streets? Our streets! Whose streets? Our streets!”
Eric Garner’s final words:
Protesters: “I can’t breathe!”
Became a rallying cry for protesters, who say police use excessive force against minorities.
Protesters: “It all boils down to one thing. There’s a lack of empathy for human life. Period.”
The US Justice Department continues to investigate the Brown and Garner cases for potential civil rights violations.