Chronology of events in Ferguson, Missouri following the shooting death of Michael Brown by a police officer
FERGUSON, Mo. — On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown and a friend were strolling in the middle of Canfield Drive, a two-lane street in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, when a police officer drove by and instructed them to use the sidewalk.
Following a verbal exchange, the white officer confronted the 18-year-old Brown, who was Black. The situation escalated, with the officer and Brown scuffling. The officer fired and killed Brown, who was unarmed.
This tale is part of an AP continuous series delving into the impact, legacy, and repercussions of what is commonly referred to as the Ferguson uprising, which was ignited a decade ago after the fatal shooting of Brown.
Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the shooting that was a pivotal moment in the national Black Lives Matter movement, and helped stimulate a reckoning of how Black individuals in Ferguson and elsewhere in the St. Louis region were treated by police and the courts.
A chronology of critical incidents that ensued after the shooting:
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AUG. 9, 2014: Brown’s bloodied body remains in the street for four hours in the summer heat. Residents in the area later criticize the police, alleging they mistreated the body.
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AUG. 10, 2014: Following a candlelight vigil, individuals protesting Brown’s demise shatter car windows and haul away armfuls of food, alcohol, and other stolen items from stores. Some protestors stand on police vehicles, taunting officers. A QuikTrip convenience store on West Florissant Avenue, just blocks from where Brown was shot, is looted and set ablaze. Other businesses are vandalized or demolished. It’s the initial of several nights of turmoil. The protests help cement the Black Lives Matter movement formed following the 2012 death of Black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida and the acquittal of the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot him.
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AUG. 11, 2014: The FBI initiates an inquiry into Brown’s death, and two men who claim they witnessed the shooting inform journalists that Brown had his hands raised when the officer discharged his weapon repeatedly. That evening, police in riot gear deploy tear gas and rubber bullets to attempt to disband a crowd of protestors.
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AUG. 14, 2014: The Missouri State Highway Patrol seizes control of security, relieving Ferguson and St. Louis County officers of their law enforcement authority after days of unrest. The change in command comes after images from the protests depict many officers outfitted with military-style gear, including armored vehicles, body armor, and assault rifles. In photos circulated online, officers are observed aiming their weapons at demonstrators.
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AUG. 15, 2014: Police identify the officer who shot Brown as Darren Wilson, who had been with the department since 2011. They also unveil surveillance video that shows Brown taking large quantities of cigarillos from behind the counter of the Ferguson Market and shoving a worker who confronts him as he exits the convenience store. Police allege Brown stole nearly $50 worth of cigarillos. The release of the video angers protestors.
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AUG. 16, 2014: Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon proclaims a state of emergency and enforces a curfew in Ferguson.
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AUG. 18, 2014: Nixon summons the National Guard to Ferguson to aid in restoring order. He rescinds the curfew.
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AUG. 20, 2014: U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder visits Ferguson to provide reassurances about the investigation into Brown’s death and to converse with investigators and Brown’s family. A grand jury commences hearing evidence to determine whether Wilson should face charges.
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AUG. 21, 2014: Nixon instructs the National Guard to withdraw from Ferguson.
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SEPT. 25, 2014: Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson releases a recorded apology to Brown’s family and tries to march in solidarity with protestors. The endeavor backfires when Ferguson officers clash with demonstrators and apprehend one individual moments after Jackson, who is white, joins the group.
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NOV. 17, 2014: Nixon proclaims a state of emergency and activates the National Guard again preceding a decision from a grand jury. He places Ferguson police in charge of security in Ferguson, with orders for them to work as a unified command with other departments.
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NOV. 18, 2014: Nixon appoints 16 individuals to the Ferguson Commission, an independent panel tasked with examining race relations, failing schools, and other social and economic issues. Nine of its members are Black. Seven are white.
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NOV. 24, 2014: St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch announces that the grand jury has decided not to indict Wilson. Demonstrations that were intense but peaceful earlier in the day turn violent. At least a dozen buildings and multiple police cars are set ablaze, officers are pelted with rocks and batteries, and reports of gunfire compel some St. Louis-bound flights to be diverted.
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NOV. 29, 2014: Wilson announces his resignation from the Ferguson Police Department effective immediately.
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MARCH 4, 2015: The U.S. Department of Justice announces that it will not prosecute Wilson in Brown’s death but releases a scathing report that finds racial bias in the way police and courts in the community treat Black individuals.
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MARCH 11, 2015: Jackson resigns effective March 19. The police chief is the sixth employee to resign or be terminated after the Justice Department report. He is replaced on an interim basis by his top commander, Lt. Col. Al Eickhoff, who is also white.
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MARCH 12, 2015: Two St. Louis-area police officers are shot in front of the Ferguson Police Department during a demonstration by protestors. Three days later, a 20-year-old man is charged with first-degree assault in the shootings.
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APRIL 7, 2015: In Ferguson’s first municipal election since Brown’s death, two of the three City Council members elected are Black. Black individuals now hold three of six seats, compared with one seat prior to the election.
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APRIL 23, 2015: Attorneys for Brown’s family sue the city of Ferguson, Wilson, and Jackson.
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