Well-known Ferguson activist Darren Seals was found shot dead in a burning car Tuesday, St. Louis County Police said. He was 29.
In a statement to Complex, St. Louis County Police said officers responded to a call of a car on fire at 1:50 a.m. in the city of Riverview only to discover Seals' body after the fire was put out. Police then discovered he had suffered a gunshot wound. Police identified him as "Daren Seals," though the St. Louis Post Dispatchwrote that other records identified him as "Darren," including his Facebook account.
Seals became a figure in the Ferguson protests following the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Many remembered Seals and tweeted about his death Tuesday, including Black Lives Matter activists Deray McKesson and Johnetta "Netta" Elzie.
Peace to Ferguson protesters.
This is so hard. We've never done this part before together.
Peace to his family and friends through this time of mourning and grief.
We can live in a world where people don't die by violence. Nobody deserves to die. We did not always agree, but he should be alive today.
He fought for Ferguson before BLM existed. RIP #DarrenSeals https://t.co/ur0NPCkh2e
RIP #DarrenSeals. Champion for the ppl. https://t.co/DQYMwCyvwo
Man...I can't even cry right now. Disbelief. Rest in Power 😔 @KingDSeals This is sad. #DarrenSeals #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/ctgQXOIueP
That time @KingDSeals took the mic from dude from CNN and asked why they're a bunch of liars. pic.twitter.com/WJQGrh2WHz
Police said Seals death was being investigated as a homicide by St. Louis County Police Department's Bureau of Crimes Against Persons. The St. Louis Post Dispatchreported police haven't released suspect information in the case or a motive. Seals wasn't the only activist lost this year. February Black Lives Matter activist MarShawn M. McCarrel II took his own life in February at age 23.
