FERGUSON, Missouri — Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle will release body camera footage of a protest that turned violent on the 10th anniversary of the death of Michael Brownwhich resulted in a life-threatening brain injury to a black police officer, police said.
Doyle and other leaders will speak at a news conference Tuesday in the Missouri city that has become synonymous with the national Black Lives Matter movement since Michael Brown was killed by a Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9, 2014. Doyle is expected to provide an update on the investigation into the violence and an update on Agent Travis Brown ‘s condition.
Officer Brown was one of several officers sent to make arrests Friday night when protesters began destroying a fence outside the police station. According to police, one of the protesters, 28-year-old Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis, Illinois, tackled Travis Brown and knocked him backward. He hit his head.
Brown remains in critical condition in the hospital, Ferguson police spokeswoman Patricia Washington said. Two other officers who were chasing Gantt were treated at the scene for minor injuries, police said.
Travis Brown is not related to Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man who was shot and killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, during a brawl on August 9, 2014.
Three separate studies have shown no grounds to prosecute Wilsonwho resigned in November 2014. But Michael Brown’s death led to months of often violent protests. It also led to a U.S. Department of Justice research which required anti-discrimination measures to be taken in Ferguson’s police department and courts.
Travis Brown, 36, is the son of a retired St. Louis police officer and the father of two young daughters. Shortly after graduating from college in 2012, he joined the St. Louis County Police Department. In January, he joined the Ferguson Police Department.
A former supervisor of the St. Louis County department, Lt. Ray Rice, said Travis Brown became a police officer to make a difference.
“Everybody says, ‘Where are all the good cops?’” Rice said. “Travis is one of those people.”
Gantt is charged with assault on a special victim, resisting arrest and property damage. A judge on Monday set a bail hearing for Aug. 19 and a preliminary hearing for Sept. 11. Gantt is being held on $500,000 cash-only bail. He does not yet have an attorney.
The violence that resulted in Travis Brown’s injury drew angry responses from Doyle and several people in Ferguson, a community of about 18,000 where about two-thirds of the residents are black. Many wondered what the protesters were so angry about, given the changes in Ferguson over the past decade.
In 2014, the department had about 50 white officers and only three black officers. Today, 22 of the 41 officers are black, including Travis Brown.
Officers also now receive regular training on crisis intervention, avoiding bias and other issues. Officers now wear body cameras. Doyle even changed the look of uniforms, patches and badges after residents said the old look was “triggering.”
A prayer meeting was planned for Tuesday evening in front of the police station.
