A day of peaceful protests to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s shooting death took a disturbing turn last night (August 9) after gunfire erupted, leaving one man shot by police in Ferguson, just one year after Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was fatally shot and killed by a white police officer.
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmark said the man, identified as Tyrone Harris Jr. of St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was shot after reportedly opening fire on unmarked police SUV shortly before midnight, following a days of peaceful protests
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Harris, 18, was undergoing surgery this morning (August 10).
In a press conference following the incident, Belmar told reporters the suspect was armed with a stolen 9mm Sig Saurer, and was involved in an exchange with another party, before firing on four plainclothes officers in the SUV.
The officers fired back, hitting the man, was said to be in “unstable” condition in a local hospital and undergoing surgery.
Belmar did not offer any specifics about the man as well as the officers involved, but said the man fired a “remarkable amount of gunfire” against officers with the stolen handgun.
“I can tell you that it was a remarkable amount of gunfire,” Belmar said, noting that the shots were heard for 40-50 seconds.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that the victim’s father, Tyrone Harris Sr., identified him and said his son was out of surgery and that he was “real close” friends with Michael Brown, having both attended Normandy High School.
"We think there's a lot more to this than what's being said," Harris Sr. said.
According to the police chief, an earlier shootout broke out between two groups and that the injured man was believed to be part of one of the rival groups. Belmar said the suspect ran away and was tracked down by police detectives in an unmarked vehicle, which drove toward him with its interior lights flashing. The victim reportedly opened fire on the vehicle, hitting it a a number of times. Police left the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with the man, and the suspect was shot multiple times.
"There is a small group of people who are intent on making sure we don't have peace. That's unfortunate," Belmar said. "We can't afford to have this kind of violence."
He said there were about six different shooters involved in the earlier shootout prior to the police-involved incident. All four officers have been put on administrative leave.
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmark said the man, identified as Tyrone Harris Jr. of St. Louis, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was shot after reportedly opening fire on unmarked police SUV shortly before midnight, following a days of peaceful protests
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Harris, 18, was undergoing surgery this morning (August 10).
In a press conference following the incident, Belmar told reporters the suspect was armed with a stolen 9mm Sig Saurer, and was involved in an exchange with another party, before firing on four plainclothes officers in the SUV.
The officers fired back, hitting the man, was said to be in “unstable” condition in a local hospital and undergoing surgery.
Belmar did not offer any specifics about the man as well as the officers involved, but said the man fired a “remarkable amount of gunfire” against officers with the stolen handgun.
“I can tell you that it was a remarkable amount of gunfire,” Belmar said, noting that the shots were heard for 40-50 seconds.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that the victim’s father, Tyrone Harris Sr., identified him and said his son was out of surgery and that he was “real close” friends with Michael Brown, having both attended Normandy High School.
"We think there's a lot more to this than what's being said," Harris Sr. said.
According to the police chief, an earlier shootout broke out between two groups and that the injured man was believed to be part of one of the rival groups. Belmar said the suspect ran away and was tracked down by police detectives in an unmarked vehicle, which drove toward him with its interior lights flashing. The victim reportedly opened fire on the vehicle, hitting it a a number of times. Police left the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with the man, and the suspect was shot multiple times.
"There is a small group of people who are intent on making sure we don't have peace. That's unfortunate," Belmar said. "We can't afford to have this kind of violence."
He said there were about six different shooters involved in the earlier shootout prior to the police-involved incident. All four officers have been put on administrative leave.
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