Ferguson Police Chief Apologizes to Mike Brown’s Family
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson apologizes to Mike Brown’s family in a video statement. Image: Vimeo / Devin James Group Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson apologized to the family of Mike Brown in a video on Friday, about six weeks after a white officer under his command shot and killed the unarmed black teenager in the middle of a street in Ferguson, Missouri. “I want to say this to the Brown family: no one who has not experienced the loss of a child can understand what you’re feeling,” Jackson said in the video, in which he reads from a prepared statement. “I am truly sorry for the loss of your son.” Jackson also said he was sorry that it took officers a number of hours to remove Brown’s body from the street, but that “the time that it took involved very important work on the part of investigators who are trying to collect evidence and gain a true picture of what happened that day.” You can watch the full video, below. The killing of Brown, 18, on Aug. 9 incited a firestorm of protests in Ferguson and a national conversation about how black people are treated by police officers. Though demonstrations are not as common now as they were in August, another protest started on Sept. 23 after a memorial to Brown was destroyed. Police in Ferguson after the incident, which included officers from the St. Louis County department, were heavily criticized for responding to protesters with riot gear and military-style vehicles, something Jackson also addressed in his video. “I do want to say to any peaceful protester who did not feel that I did enough to protect their constitutional right to protest, I am sorry for that. The right of the people to peacefully assemble is what the police are here to protect.” The FBI is investigating the killing of Brown, who was shot six times after what police say was an altercation between the teenager and the police officer. Officer Darren Wilson, who killed Brown, has not spoken publicly about the incident, and is currently on paid administrative leave. Read more: http://mashable.com/2014/09/25/ferguson-police-chief-apologizes/