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Title: Prosecutor: 20-year-old charged in shootings of 2 officers--Ferguson
Source:
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URL Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-announ ... olice-shootings-175442302.html
Published: Mar 15, 2015
Author: Jim Salter
Post Date: 2015-03-15 20:29:55 by out damned spot
Keywords: Ferguson, shootings
Views: 2365
Comments: 14
CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — The 20-year-old man charged in the shooting of two St. Louis-area officers had been at the protest outside of the Ferguson Police Department earlier that night, authorities said Saturday. St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch said 20-year-old Jeffrey Williams is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of firing a weapon from a vehicle and three counts of armed criminal action. The officers were shot early Thursday as a crowd began to break up after a late-night demonstration that unfolded after Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson resigned in the wake of the scathing federal Justice Department report, which found widespread racial bias in the city's policing and in a municipal court system driven by profit extracted from mostly black and low-income residents. Williams, of north St. Louis County, told police he was firing at someone in which he was in a dispute, not at the police officers, McCulloch said. "We're not sure we completely buy that part of it," McCulloch said, adding that authorities are not ruling out that other people may be charged in connection with the shootings. He said the investigation is ongoing. Williams is charged with two counts of first-degree assault, one count of firing a weapon from a vehicle and three counts of armed criminal action. McCulloch said the investigation is ongoing. The police officers were shot early Thursday as a late-night demonstration began to break up following the resignation of Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson in the wake of a Justice Department report that found widespread racial bias in the police department. "He was out there earlier that evening as part of the demonstration," McCulloch said of Williams. But several activists who've been involved in the protests since the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer told The Associated Press they were not familiar with Williams. Williams used a handgun that matches the shell casings at the scene, McCulloch said. He also said tips from the public led to the arrest. Williams, who St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said is black, is being held on $300,000 bond. County police spokesman Brian Schellman said he didn't know whether Williams had an attorney or when he'd appear in court. A message left at the St. Louis County Justice Center was not immediately returned. Brittany Ferrell, 26, a protest leader with the group Millennial Activists United, had just left a meeting with other leaders Sunday when word of the arrest circulated. She said no one in the group knew Williams, and they checked with other frequent protesters — who also hadn't heard of him. Ferrell suspected McCulloch tried to cast him as a protester to reflect negatively on the movement. "This is a fear tactic," she said. "We are very tight-knit. We know each other by face if not by name, and we've never seen this person before." John Gaskin, a St. Louis NAACP leader, said of Williams, "I don't know him. I've never seen him." Williams, a north St. Louis County resident, was on probation for receiving stolen property, McCulloch said. "I think there was a warrant out for him on that because he had neglected to report for the last seven months to his probation officer," he said. Online state court records show a man by the name of Jeffrey Williams at the address police provided Sunday was charged in 2013 with receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit/debit device. There was no answer at the door at the small, ranch-style home. Several neighbors, including the people just across the street, said they didn't know Williams. But one, 26-year-old Jason White, said "He was cool. I never heard of him doing nothing to nobody." Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement Sunday that the arrest "sends a clear message that acts of violence against our law enforcement personnel will never be tolerated" and praised "significant cooperation between federal authorities and the St. Louis County Police Department." Belmar previously called the shooting "an ambush," and had said the two officers easily could have died, like two New York City officers who were shot and killed in their police cruiser in December. A 41-year-old St. Louis County officer was shot in the right shoulder, the bullet exiting through his back. A 32-year-old officer from Webster Groves was wearing a riot helmet with the face shield up. He was shot in the right cheek, just below the eye, and the bullet lodged behind his ear. The officers were released from the hospital later Thursday, and Belmar said Sunday that they "were getting better, not getting worse." The police department has been a national focal point since Brown, who was black and unarmed, was killed by now-former police officer Darren Wilson. Wilson was cleared by the Justice Department's report and a grand jury led by McCulloch declined to indict Wilson in November. The federal report found widespread racial bias in the city's policing and in a municipal court system driven by profit extracted from mostly black and low- income residents. Six Ferguson officials, including Jackson, have resigned or been fired since the federal report was released March 4. Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and the City Council issued a joint statement saying they support "peaceful protesting" but "will not allow, nor tolerate, the destructive and violent actions of a few to disrupt our unifying actions."
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#1. To: All (#0)
‘the Medieval Christian threat is under control’
Society will feel sorry for it... and the rest of his herd will continue to riot and attempt to murder.
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
Hmmmm. How about "Williams ... told police he was firing at someone with whom he was having a dispute ..." Hate bad grammar.
Hell, that describes half the protesters.
Sounds like he must have fired from the crowd close up, not from a half-block away on the Grassy Knoll, as initially reported. Some of the protester crowd insisted it wasn't from the crowd, it was from the Grassy Knoll and even the police echoed this rumor to the public. Eyewitnesses (including cops) can be so frustrating. Reminder to self: never leave brass behind. : ) Seems bizarre this kid was stupid enough to keep the gun after having plenty of time to dump it. Given the cops had a dozen or so men with riot shields watching the crowd, you would think that at least one would have seen the second muzzle flash coming from the crowd. Maybe they were too surprised or too busy with Duck-and-Cover behind their shields. It'll be interesting to see some of the evidence come out. I don't think it will drag on because they caught him red-handed with the gun and he confessed so this story will go off the national radar quickly.
Oh look. He's black! See?! They arrested a black guy -- proof that the cops are racist. Once again, a disproportionate number of blacks are being arrested.
Solution: revolver
It's a good solution but it seems that revolvers aren't too popular in Da Hood. But this is a good opportunity to veer offtopic into bad shooting vids on YouBoob.
Your homeboy could use this:
Dat bees causen day not bees stylish,'n shit. Be-in a gangsta bees 'bout style az much az anything. Gots to have da rite hat,da rite jewree,da rite shit,da rite pants,and mos portantlie,da rite sneaks or no self-specting homie can leab de houz.
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
Nice Glock photoshopping. : )
A wheel gun will never let you down. Pull that trigger and it will always go BANG. Inherently more accurate than an auto loader... just comes up short in reloading time and firepower. I have many revolvers in my gun safe... all S&W. Three are .44's
Every society gets the kind of criminal it deserves. What is equally true is that every community gets the kind of law enforcement it insists on. Robert Kennedy
The "BWS" at the bottom of the ad stands for Birdman Weapons Systems. Google it and click "images".
An exciting BWS product: "Awright, everybody, remain calm."
#2. To: out damned spot (#0)
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III and the City Council issued a joint statement saying they support "peaceful protesting" but "will not allow, nor tolerate, the destructive and violent actions of a few to disrupt our unifying actions."
#3. To: out damned spot (#0)
"Williams, of north St. Louis County, told police he was firing at someone in which he was in a dispute, not at the police officers, McCulloch said."
#4. To: out damned spot (#0)
"I think there was a warrant out for him on that because he had neglected to report for the last seven months to his probation officer," he said.
#5. To: out damned spot, GrandIsland (#0)
Williams used a handgun that matches the shell casings at the scene, McCulloch said. He also said tips from the public led to the arrest.
#6. To: out damned spot (#1)
#7. To: TooConservative (#5)
"Reminder to self: never leave brass behind."
#8. To: misterwhite, GrandIsland, sneakypete (#7)
Solution: revolver
YouTube - Gun Crash
#9. To: TooConservative (#8)
#10. To: TooConservative (#8)
revolvers aren't too popular in Da Hood.
#11. To: misterwhite (#9)
#12. To: TooConservative (#8)
It's a good solution but it seems that revolvers aren't too popular in Da Hood.
#13. To: TooConservative (#11)
#14. To: misterwhite (#13)
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