Additional witnesses to Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Mo. have delivered statements to authorities. The unarmed 18-year-old was shot and killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, two men who were working for a Jefferson County company were present when Wilson fatally shot Brown in the St. Louis suburb last month. Both have spoken to the St. Louis County Police Department, as well as the FBI. Under the condition of anonymity, one of the men shared his account with the Post-Dispatch:
About a half-hour later, the worker heard a gunshot. Then he saw Brown running away from a police car. Wilson trailed about 10 to 15 feet behind, gun in hand. About 90 feet away from the car, the worker said, Wilson fired another shot at Brown, whose back was turned.
The worker said Brown stumbled and then stopped, put his hands up, turned around and said, “OK, OK, OK, OK, OK.” He said he told investigators from the St. Louis County police and the FBI that because of the stumble, it seemed to him that Brown had been wounded.
Wilson, gun drawn, also stopped about 10 feet in front of Brown, the worker said.
Then Brown moved, the worker said. “He’s kind of walking back toward the cop.” He said Brown’s hands were still up.
Wilson began backing up as he fired, the worker said.
After the third shot, Brown’s hands started going down, and he moved about 25 feet toward Wilson, who kept backing away and firing. The worker said he could not tell from where he watched — about 50 feet away — if Brown’s motion toward Wilson after the shots was “a stumble to the ground” or “OK, I’m going to get you, you’re already shooting me.”
Though he noted that Brown had his hands up at the time of the shooting, his account still offers little clarity about whether Wilson's use of deadly force was necessary. He was also unaware if Brown and Wilson struggled with each other inside of Wilson's vehicle.
In addition to the the FBI assisting local police with the investigation into Brown's death, the Department of Justice is conducting its own.
[via St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
