21 Eyewitnesses Talk About What They Saw The Day Mike Brown Was Killed
The below are excerpts taken from the Grand Jury documents which are freely available here. In all cases, the witnesses names and identifying information have been scrubbed from the documents. In some cases, the interviewer’s name has also been scrubbed. There are also a number of artifacts in the text from the online PDF to text conversion.
Clearly these interviews are all longer than what’s represented here and, in the case of some witnesses, individuals were sometimes re-interviewed several times. In some cases, FBI officers were present in the interviews and in at least one case an Assistant U.S. Attorney was present. In all cases I’ve focused on the witness accounts of what they say they saw that day.
Witness #10
DET. Okay. Would you just retell your account of what took place? Okay, um, well I walked out, I was workin? at a on the right where the was actually on the on it would be, I would be facing. . .the police car would be facin towards me and the is on right where the field is a big open field and it?s the right there where the is at. So, just so I understand a, what you?re saying, Canfield Apartments, Canfield by-in?large runs east and west, okay. Ifyou were to travel west a out of, on Canfield you would run into West Florissant. Okay. B-before you run into West Florissant Correct. So, is that the area that you were workin? on? Yes, I was workin? on the- if you were traveling east and going in to Canfield The that?s, well the considering you?re going into Canfield. It would be the and it?s a open field to And, the police, um, as I was sayin?, I was going out, I was workin? and I walked outside. I seen the two young guys walkin? down the street on the same sidewalk that I was on Can I-can I clarify just a couple things? Roughly, what time was this? Roughly I wanna say 8:40, I mean not 8:40, 11:40-1 :40 is when that-when I first seen these two guys. And, my initial thought was, ?wow, that?s a big dude.? Because Mr. Brown, Mike Brown, my initial thought was he?s a big guy. He?s tall and like stocky build and that?s it. He-he, they both walked passed me. I took my tools, went into I came back outside to get some more stuff and I looked down the street and I seen the police car at a slant and I seen Mr. Brown in the window of the police car looked. . . it appeared as they were wrestling through the window and one gunshot had let off. And, Mr. Brown took off running and my first thought was like ?oh my gosh? did I actually just witness a police officer being murdered because it took a while for the police officer to get out of the car and pursue the-the suspect. And, I wanna say maybe six seconds, but it seemed like it was forever after the-the-the first gunshot. So, the police officer exited the vehicle with his weapon drawn pursuing Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown was quite a distance and he stopped and when he stopped, he didn?t get down on the ground or anything. He turned around and he did some type of movement. I never seen him put his hands up or anything. I can?t recall the movement that he did. I?m not sure if he pulled his pants up or?or whatever he did butI seen some type of movement and he started charging towards the police officer. The police officer then returned fire, well, not returned fire, open fire on Mr. Brown. Um, if I had to guess the shots and the-the distance between him and, a, Mr. Brown, it would have to be five to ten yards and the shots that were fired was four, five to six shots fired and Mr. Brown was still standing up. Um, and my thoughts was while he?s missing this guy this close, is he-is he hitting him or because Mr. Brown there was no reaction from him to show that he was been hit. Um, after that, Mr. Brown then paused. He-he-he stopped running and when he stopped running the police officer stopped firing. And, then Mr. Brown continued, started again to charge towards him and after that the police officer returned fire and um well not returned, I?m using wrong. . .a started to fire once more at him. Um, if I had to guess the rounds that were fired then it would be four to five more shots and after that Mr. Brown collapsed and fell to the ground. DET. Okay. What happened then? Um, what happened then after that um I didn?t see, it was a-a blue Monte Carlo, a-a newer model Monte Carlo, two-door and um, it was closer to the scene where the shooting was at, that occurred. They then drove off and made a-a left into the apartments and drove around the apartment and then came and stopped and um Mr. Brown?s friend that he was walking with earlier, I didn?t see him the whole time that um this was all going on with, a, confrontation with the police and the shooting and everything. At the end, after Mr. Brown had dropped and um, I seen the, his friend come out of-of nowhere and run across the street and a, said that, ?Dog, they just-they just killed him. They just killed him? and he ran um, the back fields of Canfield. . .the back open field. And um, I must say that also after the, urn confrontation after the gunshot when Mr. Brown did run, I thought I heard a, something? metal hit the ground and I?m not sure what it was but I thought I heard somethin? hit the ground. And um, after that I believe, I?m not sure um, if I went in to go tell the people that I was working with that I just. . .what I witnessed and I came back out and they were taping the scene off and I decided I went down there closer to where the body was and I stayed down there for maybe ten. . .five to ten minutes and I was speakin? down there on the scene. And, I was tellin? what happened and after me tellin? what happened and I?m hearin? eveiybody their side of the story, saying ?Oh, the police officer shot that kid for no reason. He had his hands up and me knowing and seeing what actually took place, that wasn?t true and a, there was different sides to the st01y and every side wasn?t true so I felt uncomfortable in that situation so I decided to-to walk back to the urn to that I was at, originally at. And, um, while I was walkin?
Witness #12
Okay, a, . A, we spoke um, prior to this recording about what you witnessed outside. Um, can you kinda tell me in your own words what you saw? Okay, I was in the bedroom and I hear a altercation outside. I happens to look out the window and see um, the young guy was at the Ferguson police car on the passenger window and see somethin? arms exchanged and that's when I call my fianc? for her to look out the window and um, that?s when I ran into the front outside and that?s when um, I see, actually it was two guys um, when, but the guy, he constantly, he just ran down in the middle of the street and the officerjust gets out the car and shoots. I thought it was six times. So, um, when he-when he hit, I guess when he hit the first and the second time the guy, he kinda stopped and turned around facing the officer, a bent down a little bit curled up and the officer let out, what three maybe four more shots to the guy and that?s when he hit the ground and um, and that was it. And, that was the whole thing. And, he actually had a friend, he, I don?t know. ljust seen him duck down, a car, um, they had a car door open, it was a white car. Um, he hopped in I guess those two cars left. Okay. DET. So, um, but-but that?s the whole scene right there. So, the guy?s down, the officer um, still have his gun out and tellin? everybody to back-back the ones that was outside and that was that. And, you guys called to.. Okay, um, these-this other guy who was by the officer?s car, can you describe him? know the only thing that I could say that he may have, I definitely know that he was black, um, he had dreads. Okay. But, I can?t even describe of what he had on 'cause everything was happening so quick, ?cause somethin? happens here almost every weekend. Gotcha. So, um, yeah, that?s it. Okay. That?ll conclude the interview. The time is approximately 4:43 pm.
Witness #14
Yes, after um, he had come out, to witness, um, a gathering they had out there some type of vigil. And a, I been knowing him for years and uh, he saw the proximity of where we were and he knew, that?s when I proceeded to tell him, well he was, asked me did we see I proceeded to tell him, ya know what I witnessed. Uh, I had another family member who was there, who came a few minutes later. He had left to make a run, he came in and also explained it to him. Okay, and so after uh, weighing ourselves, and I?m not coming forward, what I?m coming forward now because it?s weighing on me. You know, but uh, the reason I hadn?t, hesitated is because one live in the area, two if the things that was said by other people who, which is not really what happened and was a witness to living out there if you go against what they are saying, I think they might nut up. Uh, go crazy. Uh, live with who is facing some serious health problem and surgeries that are about to come, and that?s my priority. Sure. I have to protect I don?t? care about no one else, but Yes sir. If, I see it at any time that this is gonna cause or bring or bring any drama toward us or it?s ended. Okay. Okay? Okay. I?m sorry. Yes sir. It?s ended. Okay. Sure. And depends on me. Ijust went through I depended on I?m not well, not well. Okay. Okay. So, uh, after talking to cause was adamant for me not to say anything. not going to say anything, but is really scared. Um, I talked it over with another other family members and let 'em know that it was weighing on me and uh I decided after seeing and hearing um, certain civil leaders say certain things that I know, they were true but not quite accurate. And I want to set it straight, because the family needs to know what actually happened. Okay. Okay. Yes sir. Alright. Okay. So you want me to continue? Yes Sir Okay, on the day of the incident I always sit, stay on the floor, my bedroom window. I can look straight down Canfield toward west Florissant. And I was at that time, I was looking out the window and I happen to see two young men coming down the street, but they were in the middle of the street and I was like what the heck are they doing? Why are they in the middle of the street? Ididn?t really think much of it because a lot of people walk out in the street. I?ve walked it, but a closer to the curb, but I have walked in the street. A lot of us do that. And then I saw the police truck and he passed him a few feet and then he backed up. When he backed up I knew something was about to happen went to the door and I came out and stood on the porch. By the time I got there they were tussling, in the car, it looks like, I don?t know if the officer had grabbed him or the boy reached into the car. I didn?t see that part. But, I dispute the fact that that officer was out of that truck. He was not. They were wrestling in the truck, ?cause when he was wrestling with him I saw something fly. I don?t know if it was a hat or something, then I heard a shot. "Pow." The boy backed up and ran and I?ll show you in a diagram. And he got to a certain spot which was maybe 25 30 feet maybe more. You can measure it, I?ll show you. And when he turned to face the officer he raised his hands but he didn?t raise them all the way up. He raised them up and looked and you could see that something was on his hands and he looked down like he was looking at his side and he looked at, and then he turned and faced the officer like what happen, why ya know. I gonna, I don?t know what was going through his mind but if had a guy shot I would have came at like why did you shoot me or ya know whatever. The officer exited the vehicle came around to the back he?s about, at the, well I can?t say he was on the passenger side but he wasn?t quite at the end of the And when you say who, you?re talkin? about? I?m sorry The officer the boy was still standing on the, on the, on the partially on the parking lot and on the grass. 'Cause he had ran that way. The officer came out came around got into his stance. And he said ?stop.? Because the boy looked up at him and he took two steps, about two or three steps. Pow, pow he fired off about three rounds and he hit him the boy kinda wiggled. And when he came back up he had the weirdest look on his face and he started coming forward. Not in a, like he was tryin to attack him, it?s like he?s coming to him like to plea with him stop. The officer did say, ?stop, stop, stop.? Well after that third time, he let loose. And the boy was coming forward slowly. Real slowly. But you could see he was hurt, ?cause he was like this. And rocking back and forth. He wasn?t in a upright position he was kinda hunched over. And as he was coming forward and he fired off the volley he was falling. He didn?t fall to his knees, he fell straight down. And as he was going, he kept firing. He kept firing. Until he hit the ground. Okay.
Witness #16
l-I?m gonna, just-just so I understand what-what you?re sayin?. So, you hear the-the car tires, right? Yes. A sharp turn. Okay. And, you look out that far window that faces, a, car, right? Yes. And, what did you see at that point? I saw the man, I?m sorry, by the man I mean the police officer getting out of his car and running full speed. That?s when I went to the next window. Okay, and he was This way. his vehicle at? Right there. Okay. So, the vehicle with By the orange cones. With the crime scene tape on the back of it, is that right? Yes, yes. Okay. So, that?s the officer?s vehicle that you saw, right? Yes. Okay. And, so which direction was he runningright. Okay, so he?s running from that vehicle? Yes. To, down the street closer to 29 then closer to And also, while I was lookin?, I saw a all black Monte Carlo sitting right directly in front of it and the guy that um, I guess he was walking with I guess his name, but I only know him by a nickname. His name DJ. He was tryin? hide because he was scared for his life as well ?cause the police was already shooting, so he was tryin? to duck off behind the car. Okay. Yes, but this, um, I was about the gunshots, then I heard several more. I can?t-l can?t put a number on, it was several of 'em and they were I guess aimed at every direction 'cause it just sounded like chaos Can you give me an estimate? No-no less than four after the original ones. No less than four more. So, you heard an original how many? Three. You heard an original three. And, then roughly how long after you heard those original three? 30 seconds. 30 If that. Yes. After that you heard four more, right? At lease.
Witness #22
can you take me through, uh, step-by-step as detailed as possible everything that you heard and saw today? Yes. Um, I was sleep and sol heard the first two shots. I?m thinking it?s just the construction men that was outside and my boyfriend was looking out the window and he told me to come here, so I came to the window. I saw the young man grabbing his, either his stomach or his side and had he put his hands up and then the man just keep and then that was it. And then I went outside and saw the rest of it. Okay. Uh, you heard the two shots and your boyfriend gets your attention to come to the window. Uh huh. Um, I thought, uh, before you said that was, the young man, was he standing or kneeling? He was kneeling. He was kneeling in the street. I thought uh, before you said he had his hands Uh huh. first, um, but then he went to his-his side or to his was, he was like this so he was either grabbin? at side or like somewhere in the front. Okay. He was grabbin' his self. Okay. So, kinda-kinda towards his waist on either the side or the back. We?re not sure why. Uh huh. Yeah Uh, and then you saw how many more shots? Three. Three more shots. And, just wanted to clarify that, uh, at first when you saw him, his hands are up; he?s kneeling in the street? Uh huh. Yes. Uh, and then for some reason, uh, whatever it is, he-he reaches down for Side. side or Uh huh. something like that. Yeah. Across his body like so. Yep.
Witness #25
Okay. Can you tell me in your own words, um, where you were and when you were made aware of the situation and then what-what you witnessed when you did look. I was in my kitchen eating on the phone with my little sister and my fianc? yelled from the bedroom, "Baby, look out the window they?re shootin?.? I run to my patio and look out the window. As I?m lookin? out my window, see a, a African-American gentleman running away from a-a Caucasian officer and the Caucasian officer was walkin? behind him steady opening fire shootin? and as um, he was shootin? whenever I asked my fianc?, I said, "Well, I guess the guy got away because I don't see him walkin? anymore.? So, the next thing I know, I see the African-American guy walkin? back down facing the Caucasian officer. And, see him walkin?, opens up my front door and go out on my patio and see the Caucasian officer steady opening fire, aiming at the African-American guy?s chest area. While standing there lookin?, I assumed, I figured that they had tased him and he just was resisting. He wasn't going down but then when I talked to my fianc? he said that it was actually gunshots and maybe like he shot 'em two more times and that?s when the guy tipped over. The officer walked up, shot him three more times and the dude just tipped over head first and his head smashed into the pavement.
Witness #30
Um, um, we understand you were present at that shooting on Saturday up in Ferguson. Yes I was. And can you just tell me, um, where you were, um, or how.. Uh you were coming from? Passenger side front seat of my wife?s van. Ok. We were driving toward the shooting. Ok. (pause) And what?d you see? Well, first, we heard shots. I heard like three, maybe four shots. Ok. up, saw the flashing lights of the squad car. And, I saw a large African American gentleman, uh..pointing in our direction, look like he had to me like he had a gun. he was pointing a gun the cop. Ok. But the cop was between him, and the vehicle that we were in. So, it looked like he was pointing in my direction. *snip* So, if..if..we're like standing above the police car, ok..imagine we?re above the police car. Where is, where is the African American gentleman at? Um, he was in the middle of the street. Ok. car..the..the officer I didn?t see the officer get out of the car. Ok. My wife says she saw him get out of the car. I did n?t see him, I didn't see the officer until ..u..u..u..until he was already out the car. Ok. Th..th..the gentleman, the black Yeah. at us. And..about that time, he started to run, and that?s when the officer shot him in the leg. Ok. And it certainly looked like a leg shot to me, the way he (chuckles) Ok. Uh, spun around. Uh..and ..right after..right after he was hit, he turned around and he started back toward the police officer. Ok. And..l?m..we?re in a residential neighborhood. There?s bystanders everywhere, there's people everywhere. l..what I saw was the officer gunned down somebody who had apparently been in a firefight with him. Ok. was relieved that it was over, and that there weren't going to be any stray bullets..hittin? bystanders. Ok. Because, it certainly was too far away to actually see a Ok. it certainly looked like he was pointing one, and we definitely heard shots fired before he ever started running. Ok. So..um..if..and we?re going to put a shoe down on the floor to kinda show the police So was the policeman behind the police car? I?m not certain..mm..because uh..at that that point, my attention shifted guy that was running away and being shot at. And then the guy that was running, where was he standing next to the police car? Uh, he was out in the middle of the street. Uh.. Ok, so he was over to the He was..he Over the right? ..he was by the was by the yellow line the middle of the street. Ok. And..he started running away from us, got wounded, and turned around and came back Ok.
Witness #32
Okay, and what do you see? Um, as the officer approached the two young I don?t know what was said, you know between the two parties, but I know something had to had been why do you say that? Ah, just because basically that their truck was moving back and forth like it there was kinda a tussling Okay ..going on. Okay just to make sure that have this truck is headed towards the gentlemen that are walking, as you referred to it as "on the yellow line?.. Yes. Okay, did that truck..did the police officer?s truck at any point stop? Yes. For a short period of time. Yes. Okay, now do you know why that police officer had to stop his truck? to my knowledge no. I didn?t know why. Okay. Okay. he did. Where young men at when he stopped. They were st..still proceeding to walk in the middle of the street. Okay, so they didn?t didn?t move out of his way? Um, no sir, they did not. Okay. Alright, so the police officer stopped and he stopped right next to them? Did he in front of them, or did he stop once he passed them No, he stopped like right on the side of ?em. Right on the side of them? Right on the side. Okay. Once he stopped his vehicle, tell me what you saw. Once he stopped his vehicle, I said, didn?t hear or seen anything once he stopped his vehicle. I just saw the one young man that was with him, with the deceased suspect, I saw What?d he look like? He was a brown skinned guy, he was kinda short, kinda dreads. Okay. Ah, when I saw him, like in the back ofthe was like, like looking know what was going I saw the fee..the foot, the feet of somebody, I looked up under the truck; I saw the feet like moving and it was kinda tapping, like, it was like some kind of confrontation going on. Okay and the time when you saw this police vehicle, you said you saw it shaking from left to right? Yeah. Like it Okay. it Where was the police officer at? Still inside. So he was still inside the truck, sitting in the seat? Yes, sir. And you said you saw, you could only see feet from underneath the Yes, sir. the other young man that was standing outside. Yes, sir. Okay and you saw the truck shaking back and forth? Yes, sir. Okay. And it looked like it was a Yes..a lot of the police officer who was inside the truck and..and the young man? the suspect. Yes, yes sir. Tell me what you see next. After I saw that, see the young man with the bag actually, I see him now because the trucks so big, course he?s so little so .. Ah hah. see him now, come from like in the like he was trying to see what was going on, like it was a struggle. Okay. Okay? Once that had happened, heard the gunshot. Okay. I heard one shot. Now when you heard the gunshot, where was the police officer? Still inside the truck. He was still inside the truck? Yes, sir. And the young man is still outside? Yes, sir. What do you see next? that..l I heard the seen actually suspect that got shot, like bag Okay, from the Away from the truck. Okay. Like ah, like a "boom" I been shot, but he backed up. Okay, so he looked surprised, I guess? S..yes, like he was.. ike he was amazed or whatever, 50.. Okay. ..after I seen that, I seen when the young man and the other man proceeded to take off running. Okay, which direction did they run? They was Glen Owen Towards Glen Owen. Yes, sir. Okay, so I think that would be they ran East. Towards Glen Owen. Okay. Um, and the process of them running, now, at this time, I?m down. Because, I heard a gunshot so I?m terrified.
Witness #34
would you ah, please tell us your accounts of ah, what took place on the 9th of August. Okay, to the best of my DET. Yes sir. I was had left from the apartments and I was going over to my and I turned around and came back the police truck was parked kinda. Okay the police truck was parked kinda I couldn?t get by sol stopped and I looked up him and this black male was you know like struggling you know what I?m saying. They was tussling and the police were sitting in the car and the black male was at the window right? And they went on for about two minutes I?d say. So, I sit there and watch then all of the sudden I heard a yeah right. Black male took off running. He ran down the street and I don?t know and in my mind I thought he maybe got hit because he couldn?t run that didn?t run that far he run I?d say about maybe three car or two and there was a brown car sitting there. He put his hand on the back of the brown car. Then the officer got out the truck he was kinda like chasing behind but the officer wasn?t running that fast you know like he was shaken up or something and all of sudden the young man he turned around and started coming back towards the officer yeah right. Then the officer shot him a couple times then that's when I turned around (UI) I said it's time for me to go now. I turn around right there in front of the officer truck and I burn out. *snip* Oh he?s standing by the police window of the police truck. Okay-okay, and is, the officer is where? Sitting down in the truck. Okay, and so this interaction between the two of them you said tugging on each other?s is that taking place and I know the right there. Okay. In the car? Outside the car? Ah, he?s standing outside the car window. In the window? you he was standing outside the car window and the police was in the truck. Okay, can you describe the actions of the police officer in the car? I?m sorry. Can you describe the actions of the police officer in the car? Well, all seen from the police from look to me from what I saw it looked like the police was just trying to keep him blocked and was holding on, ya know, like that?s what it looked like okay you know he just and you know had him blocked and then ya know like the young man was trying to hit the police and then police must have leaned over long enough to get to his gun right. Okay and all a sudden I heard one shot POW and then that?s when he took off running. *snip* And then all of sudden I heard the shot POW and then the boy took off and ran right okay then the boy ran I?d say about two three car and put his hands on the back of a brown I think it was a mercury I?m not for sure I?m not good to good with cars. And then the officer got out of the truck he had his gun down to the side say he going down side from the driveway though he going back to the truck like trying to keep him in sight and then boy took his hands off the truck, And the boy your referring to Michael Brown. Michael okay. took his hand off the car and he was coming back toward the police right and then all of a sudden I heard a few more shots I turned around. was hauling back you know what I?m saying so I turned around and got out of there you know.
Witness #35
Ok. So you?re look, you?re in your nephew?s bedroom, Yes. And you?re lookin? out the window and what do you see? I was on the phone, I heard the first gunshot. I didn?t see the first gun shot, but when I looked out the window, cause I knew that Michael Brown and my cousin were walkin? to the store and I heard the first gunshot so instantly I hopped up and looked out the window and what I seen was Michael Brown drop to his knees and he had on a grey t-shirt and blood was rushing from either his shoulder or his rib cage, I know it was somewhere on the left portion of his body. And he was like, and I heard it and the window was closed so it was very loud and it was people honestly actually out there. I seen him drop to his knees and I seen the What do you mean there were people out there? It Sorry to interrupt. It was people out there, like it was regular day. People walking kids, walking dogs any other regular day of livin? in where live. Kids outsideSaturday, so of course it was gonna be a whole lot of traffic comin' in and out. Atty Ok. So, I seen Michael Brown, my best friend drop to his knees, he dropped to his knees he looked at my cousin and told him "run for your life?. Where, where was your cousin? Dorian. Ok, where, where was he? He was right next to him. That?s the one who?s been givin? statements on CNN and That?s my cousin. Um hum. lseent them, I seen him runnin?. I seen Michael Brown drop to his knees and when he said that my cousin took off and ran. And I seen them shoot Michael Brown in the head as soon as the police officer exit, exited his So where was First of all, I wanna, I wanna tell you that you?re talkin? to an FBI agent can charge you with one thousand and one later so I wanna make sure that you think about everything that you tell me- l?m not, this is not no lie. I would never lie about this. This is my best I?m just, I?m just get, we give this statement to They give this statement to everybody just to make sure you know that you?re under And I I?m not gonna lie ljust wanted to, you know, As God as my witness I would never lie on anything like Ok, well I?m just tellin? you that if you lie to me, we will charge with lying to an FBI agent. So I?m just tellin? you Why would I, why would I, look me in my eyes, please. I want both of ya?ll to look me in my eyes. Do these look There?s no reason to I?m just sayin? do these look like a person who?s lyin?? There?s no reason to get upset, I?m just tellin? Ok. Does this look like a face that?s lyin??
Witness #37
turned into Canfield, uh, actually sees some confusion goin? between the officer and Mr. Brown which wh-stopped traffic so I was like, sittin? out wonderin? what was goin? on I seen they had Mr. Brown from inside his vehicle by the neck and by his shirt. So about, when you first saw them, they were already in Yeah, already in contact with other. Okay. And, uh, I see Mr. Brown strugglin? like to get back from him chokin?. And, before I knew it, the officer had held on to Mr. Brown. He had put his firearm and shot Mr. Brown, that was the first shot. Mr. Brown get loose that?s when he-he runs approximately about, I say about ten, fifteen feet. He gets loose from the officer after the first shot. Okay. So, he gets loose about ten, fifteen feet. The officer fired more shots from his vehicle. Like, goin? on where this officer vehicle, once he get loose he shots the first time get loose, he shoots like this again. So he?s still sitting in, in the police vehicle. he?s let about approximately three, four shots let, um, go after that. Okay. And by time he gets out his vehicle, look, after the first shot that?s when guy that was with, with Mr. Brown ducks. Mr. Brown take off that?s when the guy that was with Mr. Brown ducks behind the police car in between police car and the car that was right behind the the police car. He duck in between those. And by the time Mr. Brown got that ten, fifteen feet the officer shot more shots from inside his vehicle, and before I knew it, the officer got out, kinda gave him a chase and that?s where I see Mr. Brown slow up and throw his hands up. And the officer, like, patiently walked towards Mr. Brown, and that?s when I seen another sh-like two, three shots fired at point blank range. That's when see Mr. Brown, is it alright if I stand up? Um hum. Um hum. Sure. Okay, this officer and Mr. Brown he So is, just real quick, is the officer facing, are we f-are they facing each other? Just like this. Okay. And that's when I seen ?em shoots his firearm again. Uh, I say probably about another two, three shots. And that?s when I seen Mr. Brown lean over, hit his head, right on the concrete. Uh. And how far away are they when that happens? Closer than you and are now? This is-this like this. Just right there? Just like this, he, once he got out his vehicle, he patiently, he gave, like I say, he gave a little pursuit I guess, if the shots from the vehicle that was firing after Mr. Brown got away, I don?t know if they hit him in his back or what, but it slowed him up whatever it was. And that?s when he stopped threw his hands in the air. He just like this, the officer gave a pursuit, he slowly walked up hit him two, three more times. Pow, pow, pow. He leaned over, hit his head. He laid flat just like this on the concrete. And that?s when I seen the officer, patiently took his time, stood over, fired more shots. How many? I counted, I counted ten. Ten? I?m not Ten total? Total. Okay.
Witness #38
Okay, I saw the police talking to these two boys. Now, when I saw the two boys they were not in the middle of the street, they were kinda like, on the side of the street, and I saw the police talking to him, he said, I don?t know. Ididn?t hear. Then I saw him cut his car, his..cruiser, in front of the guys, you then he kept on talking. I kept walking, gon..gonna go on back to my trash dumpster. Then I heard a shot, or two shots, then I looked back, I didn?t see anybody laying in the street, I figured maybe shot or know let the when you say "he" you mean the officer? Okay. I figured maybe them, gonna a warning shot or I kept heading back towards the dumpster. And then, as was turning the corner I heard boom, boom, boom, boom, six, seven shots. And I ran and ducked down between two cars in the parking lot because I didn?t know if it was a gun battle or they gonna come running down the street shooting at each other or not. So, I did duck behind two cars. And..at that time, people started coming out oftheir apartments, everybody heard all the gunfire and everything. stayed back there a few minutes because I don?t know what was going on out there and people had start congregating in the parking lot
Witness #41
Okay. After-after you heard one shot? No, I heard two. You heard two shots? I heard two shots. Okay. And I, that's when I ran down to the lot to see what was goin' on. Okay. And um, Michael Brown?s on his knees with his hands up and he was being shot up. And then he-he fell. The officer got out of his truck, SUV rather and that?s when he stood over the boy and just emptied his clip. Okay. And, I say I didn?t knew officer was authorized to carry full automatics. I thought they had to carry But The way he popped that off, it sounded like a full.. It?s not a full automatic. I thought the way it was popping? off it sounded like a full. No, it?s-it?s not. No, it?s not. Okay. l understand. Um, okay, so you said that you saw-you saw Michael down on his knees. Was he facing the police officer? Yes, he was. Where was the police officer at the time? The police officer was coming toward him. He was on his knees. So the police, so Michael Brown was on his knees. had his hands up. He had his hands up. And the police officer?s walkin? toward him? Yes, and he had his hands up and the police was shootin? him as he was comin? toward him. But he was on his knees? (UI) Michael was on his knees with his hands up. (UI) Okay, okay, and then did Michael Brown fall? And yeah, he eventually fell and fell face down and that?s He fell face down? when the policeman came over and just finished him up. 50-50 when he came over and you said he finished him up, where was he shootin? him? They shot him in his head and that was the last bullet that went off was in his head. Okay, but, how could he have shot him there if he?s face down? No, I?m talkin? about while he was up he was shootin? 'em. Okay, then you said he fell But, then he fell down and he-he-he and that?s when he shot him in the head. He got up over And shot him in the head. Shot him in the head. In the back of the head? No. Then-then explain to me how he could?ve shot 'em in-in the front of the head if This is what-this is what I?m tryin? to tell you. gonna show you that, I can demonstrate it better than I could tell you. Okay. Okay. So you?re-you?re on your (UI) was on his knees. A, I?m a police officer. I know. He?s on his knees like this and he had his hands up. Icouldn?t make out what he was sayin?. But, he was sayin? somethin?, Michael was to the police officer. The police sayin? (UI) 'cause I?m deaf in one year. So, I couldn?t make out what they was sayin?, the police (Ul) he just shootin?-shootin?-shootin' right there and the bullet hit him right here. And, that?s when he was goin' down and the police stand there and shot him again in his head. So he was-he many shots you think he took in the head? I don?t know. How many shots did you hear total? I got a total of nine. You heard a total of nine shots. Yeah. Okay, um, but you said, did he shoot him after he fell? Yep. He-he was goin? down that when he was shootin' he-he?s like no, you ain?t gonna plea me down but you almost down. Yeah. And, that?s when the bullet hit him in the head. Okay. And he went on down. And then-then did the police officer stop shooting? He didn?t have no more rounds. The gun just stopped. Or, the gun said "click click.?
Witness #42
did you see what took place last Saturday? That would have the ninth around noon. Yes, I did, I did not see the did not see the initial start of the situation but I seen the closure of the situation. Because I was on my get reception on my phone? And, um, I heard a gunshot..fo..it, it, it caught my attention. Okay. As it did the attention of everybody else around when I got, to my phone, as far as then talking on my phone, I told the told her, I call them back. Out of town stood that see what was going on and when I looked to see what was going was running after a young man that was running in the direction toward that Okay. He shot again, shot the individual in the back, Mr. Brown, I don't know what part of the back he shot but he turned around, Mr. Brown turned literally put his arms a, in a fashion to understanding that means surrender. So the individual is running away and then turned around and put his After being shot! Okay. Can on this map here..where, where was it..you would say that you saw him running towards? gotta see I?m getting (chuckles) Oh, I understand. That's fine. bend, this bend coming off West Florissant right? Yeah. Exactly? That?s right. this Okay. to run in this direction. Well, he actually ran in this direction. Okay, so he ran Eastbound on Canfield then? Exactly. Okay. be goin be coming-going this way. Okay. I see that, as I walk further on my porch, I see the officer chasing after the individual and he hit him "pow" one time in the the individual realized he was he turns around and immediately put his arms up, and as he?s stepped closer to the-the surrendering himself, his arms up already and he continued to let every round, I mean every round, the visual is so clear. He let every round in his chest off and as he got closer, he let a round off in his head, his cheek, his head and he finished a round and stood over him. How many rounds total? I, I didn?t count cause I was was in shock. I, I, I stopped counting. Okay. It was gruesome.
Witness #43
DET would you please, uh, take myself and Detective through everything that you heard and saw today. Yeah, um, I was listening to the music off the TV and then I paused it 'cause I heard some screamin? and stuff so I looked out the window and I saw a man with his hands in a police car tryin? to snatch it away and then he got away. He pulled out the taser and tried to tase him but he missed. Then he pulled out the gun and tried to shoot him and he missed. Then he ran down the street and then he shot him once and I stopped lookin? but I heard like four or five more shots. Then when I looked back out there he was laying on the ground.
Witness #44
Um, I was walking down Canfield, uh, I got to almost-almost the entrance of the leasing office when I saw the-the officer back his van up and hit the two boys. Um, immediately his friend took off and his name Mike he started like fighting with the officer through his window. I don?t know why they were fighting through the window but then you heard the first shot and all the cars on the street stopped. They started backing up. Then he, uh, started running. He stopped halfway and turned around and that?s when you heard the rest of the shots. Okay. And I don?t have really good eyes so I couldn?t see like exactly where he got hit or anything like that. But it was about seven eight shots that I heard. Okay. And like he did have his hands up. People wasn?t jus sayin that. He did turn around and put his hands up.
Witness #45
Mr. Brown? Right. Ok. But him and his friend was comin? back and they was walkin? like in the middle of the street. Didn't hear what the police had said, but when they pulled off, immediately they pulled back. The police? The police. And all I saw was the police arm come out of the window, and grab him by his collar. first shot went off. He tried to run, that?s when the second shot went off. He stopped and with his arms up, never went down to portray that he had a weapon or anything. Uh huh. And when he turned back around the police shot again. And it just and like the shotjust started ringing. And he fell. Police got down, checked him, got up and walked away. There was just one officer? There was two in the car. There were two officers in the car? It was two.. seen two officers in the car. Ok.
Witness #46
I drove over there, first I stopped at Quik Trip. A, I stopped at Quik Trip to get me a, a 5lush and when left Quik Trip I stopped on over to her house and when was pulling up to her from Quik Trip, the police was behind me so when see a police behind me, I?m gonna tell you all, I got a warrant in St. Ann ok, so well it?s for tickets. When I see a policemen like that behind me, you gonna pull over. So I pull over to let him go ahead do what he was doin? you know, and then I seen two young mens walking the street, they was walking in the middle of the street and I seen the police when he told them to get onto the side walk. And the young man?s was talking to him and I seen the police (sighing) oh God, when he tried to I guess get one of the police you pulled up to the side of police, he was talking to him, I don?t know what was said I was pulled like a car or two behind me. Was your um, window up or down? My windows was down and have a sunroof top. Um huh, was your sunroof open? Yes. Ok. So when I said, seen him talking to the young mens I turned my radio down ?cause I had my radio, you know. And I turned my radio I said what are they doing with this little (Telephone ringing) walking, you know. And he stopped and he was talking to to the boys and then he like one of the boys was walk, I don?t even know these boys, was walking in front. They was together and one of 'em was walking here and the police says somethin?, I don?t know what he said to ?em and I seen the police try, he was tryin? to grab the boy. *Snip* when was watching the boys walk on down the street, I really wasn?t, I don?t even know these boys. I heard, I?ve seen 'em when they was talking to the police, and I thought it was just a friendly talk, I don?t know. So next thing I seen the police (sigh) reach his gun out the car (crying) and I seen one boy run behind the police car (crying) on the side of the police car. Then I said to myself, Lord what?s going on? (sniffing) By this time start hearing gunshots, so I grabbed my wheel and I put my head down the wheel, and after I seen gunshot, I seen the police having to, I guess trying to get out the car, ?cause when he got out the car, he stand over the boy (Crying) and he started shootin? some more. So after the shootin? stopped I set up there and I looked and I started screamin? and asked the policeman. I said can I check the boy? He told me to get the fuck on. I said to myself you ain?t said nothin? but a word. ljumped in my car and I pulled off and I started hollerin?. (Crying) (Sighing) The only thing (Ohh), oh my eyelash is gonna come off. (Sighs) (Sniffling). I don?t think was scared about, when I seen the boy getting? shot I put my head at the wheel. I did my head like this. Putting your head down in your arms, like Yeah. your head and your eyes. Because, that bullet don?t have no name on. I seen the one little boy trying to run, or walk real fast. I seen another little boy run behind the police car on the side of the police car and I said what the hell is going on?? So I started callin? people on my cell phone and ltold ?em somebody got shot. And they said who, I said a little boy got shot. And they said a little boy? Who little boy, I said I don?t know these people, I?m out here and my cousin told me to leave. And I said I?m on my way to your house. So before I left to go her, asked the police can I check the boy, He told me get the fuck on. To me, by a police you ain?t said nothin? but a word (laughs). Um huh. So ljumped in my car, but I started hollerin? then people started comin? out the apartment complex. And everybodyjust started screamin? and stuff. I mean it, when go to sleep at night, I hear gunshots. And then I think about what ifthat?s my child, what would I had did, (crying) that?s the only reason I told them I would speak up.
Witness #48
Um, we was pulling up on Canfield Drive, going into the Canfield Green Apartments and I seen a officer in his cruiser which was a SUV Ok. And, uh, I seen a young man standing near the cruiser, you heard two shots fired. Uh hmm.. And then you seen him take off down the street. Ok. And then a police officer hopped out of his cruiser and started chasing him, the dude turned back around and started charging towards the police officer, the police officer told him to stop at least three times. Uh hmm. And the boy wouldn?t stop, he fired three rounds, the dude kept running, fired four more rounds, and then he finished off the rounds I guess, and he fell on the ground dead.
Witness #57
DET. And so, said that you saw the struggle at the car, or you told him that you saw the struggle at the car? I believe so. DET. you kind of describe that, what, what you saw? The struggle? DET. Mm hmm. First I heard the shot. I heard one shot. I was on the telephone, so l got up and looked out, and that?s when I saw a, a tussle, at the car. DET. Okay. And uh, and I saw, (Ul) the guy, Mike Brown, I didn?t know at the time, I saw a guy runnin? down the street, and I saw an officer chasin? after him. And, by that time, I got up and looked (Ul) well, I heard the and I got up and looked out, and that?s when I saw the officer standing over the body. So, I came back in, hung, hung the phone up, (UI) the phone up that?s when I grabbed my cell phone, and I went outside and recorded. DET. you have video of the, the shooting itself, but the shooting had taken you have video of that? Is Yes. DET. Okay. And is that my commentary, yes, mm hmm. DET. Okay, is that on your cell phone right now? Uhh, yes, I believe so. DET. Okay, okay. IVlm hmm. DET. Okay. Would you be opposed to us a, taking a look at that video? Sure, no problem. DET. Okay. Do you wanna grab your cell phone, can we, we, take a look at it? (Clears throat) Beeping sound DET. Looks like it just Oh no it?s starting up. Audio playing: Damn, he everywhere and shit. Mmm. Just standin? around, they blockin? the street off now." UM2: "He was chasin? him." "No, the guy was fightin? him in the car, the guy was fightin? him in the car. Police No, the guy was, I don?t I looked (Ul) police was fightin? him, (Ul) police had pulled him uh, he was guy was fightin? at the police, and the guy started runnin? and the police shot him, I don?t him. The guy was runnin? though, but the police killed killed him.? DET. Okay.
Witness #62
And what happens? we pulled up at a stop sign and we heard two shots and while we were tryin? to figure out whether they were gun shots or firecrackers we seen a, well I saw the guy, Mike Brown. I seen him take off running and I saw the cop following him and shooting at him and I seen him turn around and stumble or come towards the cop and then I seen him hit the ground. That?s all I saw. Okay.
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