Missouri: Teen Michael Brown Was Unarmed When Shot & Killed during altercation, Police Say

(wallstreetjournalonline) - FERGUSON, Mo.—A black teenager shot multiple times by a suburban St. Louis police officer was unarmed when he died, police said Sunday, as hundreds of local residents protested and a civil-rights leader expressed outrage at the killing.

Michael Brown, 18 years old, had graduated from high school and was about to enter a local college, said his mother, Lesley McSpadden.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said the shooting occurred after an officer encountered two people—one of whom was Mr. Brown—on the street near an apartment complex Saturday afternoon in Ferguson, a predominantly black suburb a few miles north of downtown St. Louis.

Mr. Belmar said one of the men pushed the officer back into his squad car and a struggle began. Mr. Belmar said at least one shot was fired from the officer's gun inside the police car. Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said authorities were still sorting out what happened inside the police car. It wasn't clear if Mr. Brown was the man who struggled with the officer.

The struggle spilled out into the street, where Mr. Brown was shot multiple times. Mr. Belmar said the exact number of shots wasn't known, but "it was more than just a couple." He also said all shell casings found at the scene matched the officer's gun. Police are still investigating why the officer shot Mr. Brown, who police have confirmed was unarmed.

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