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Everything We Know About the St. Louis Protests

 For Complex News, I'm Natasha Martinez//// Protesters in St. Louis have gathered for the fourth night in a row following the acquittal of ex-police officer Jason Stockley.  Stockley was on trail for fatally shooting 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011.    Stockley and his partner tried to stop Smith after witnessing a suspected drug transaction. Smith sped away and a pursuit reaching up to 80 mph followed. Eventually the police car crashed into Smiths, and that's when Stockley believed Smith was pulling a handgun and fired at his chest. Stockley claimed that his actions were in self-defense. He claimed to fear for him and his partner's life, however a recording of the incident revealed that Stockley said he was "going to kill this motherfucker" before crashing into Smith's vehicle.  Stockley then entered Smith's vehicle to locate the weapon and render it safe however when the gun was recovered from the scene it did not possess Smith's DNA, but contained Stockly's, leading many to believe that he planted the gun in Smith's car.  Stockly denied that he tampered with evidence and waived his right to a jury trial. He was acquitted on September 15th.  St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson released a statement saying,  The Court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt, or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense.  Protests began shortly after the acquittal and started off peaceful, however they often ended in vandalism and violence by nightfall. On Sunday night protesters attacked police, broke windows, and flipped over trashcans. There were assaults and chemical attacks on many officers present, leading to more than 80 people being arrested.  According to multiple reports, officers were chanting, "Whose streets? Our Streets" after making the arrests Sunday night.  According to the Washington Post, Interim Police Chief Lawrence O'Toole repeatedly called the arrested protesters "criminals" and called for them to be prosecuted "to the fullest extent of the law."   When protests started Friday, some demonstrator's locked arms and prayed together, but within hours others smashed the windshield of a police vehicle and threw water bottles, rocks and bricks at law enforcement. Video footage showed officers using tear gas to disperse the crowds after police said the protests were considered an unlawful assembly.  The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department fired Stockley in August 2013 for violating departmental policy. After Friday's ruling, Smith's family said they believed the judge had made the wrong decision and they would be looking into taking other legal steps. //// That's your news for now, for more of today's trending stories subscribe to Complex on YouTube. For Complex News, I'm Natasha Martinez.