After the worst night of violence in the past week in Ferguson, Gov. Nixon sends in the troops
Missiuri Governor Jay Nixon announced this morning that he is deploying the Missouri Nationsl Guard to the city of Ferguson to attempt to settle the riotous atmosphere that has existed there since unarmed Black teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer on August 9.
In a statement, Governor Nixon says that he implemented this serious course of action because of “deliberate, coordinated and intensifying violent acts.” He added that the Guard will undoubtedly restore “peace and order” to the town that has been saturated with civil unrest and a heavy, militarized police presence this past week.
“Tonight, a day of hope, prayers, and peaceful protests was marred by the violent criminal acts of an organized and growing number of individuals, many from outside the community and state, whose actions are putting the residents and businesses of Ferguson at risk.”
Even though Sunday afternoon was a day filled with peaceful protests and church services aimed at calming the masses, once Michael Brown’s autopsy report revealed that he was shot six times from a distance that would normally be deemed non-threatening to an officer, many peaceful protesters sought their own justice when the sun went down.
Protesters totally ignored the midnight to 5am curfew, some even brazenly hurling the tear gas canisters back at officers. There are reports of Molotov cocktails being thrown at the officers and even some live gunfire being shot at the local police departments.
Ferguson Public Schools have also remained closed because of the eminent threat of violence in the area.
Capt. Ron Johnson, the Black Missouri Highway Patrol Officer whose face has been placed on the streets and in the news in order to quell the community, now says that there is no other choice.
“Based on the conditions, I had to elevate the level of response. We had to act to protect lives and property.”
-Sha Be Allah(@KingPenStatus)
