Meaghan Caskey
Eight months ago, an unarmed African American teen, Michael Brown was shot by a white police officer, Darren Wilson. Seven months ago, after the initial shock of the racist oppression wore off, the riots for justice begin.
Four months ago, Wilson resigned as a police officer two minutes after being notified of ‘credible threats’ being made to the police department.
“It was my hope to to continue in police work, but the safety of other police officers and the community are of the the paramount importance to me,” Wilson said.
But where does this leave us now? Since August, multiple riots and protests have appeared in Ferguson, wanting the solution to answers and justice. Ferguson has endured non-stop action ever since Michael Brown’s shooting.
On March 12, two police officers in Ferguson were shot just after midnight outside police headquarters. Attorney General Eric Holder said that the shootings were carried out by “a damn punk who was trying to sow discord in an area that is already trying to get its act together.”
Three days later, Jeffrey Williams, an African American in Ferguson, Missouri, was charged and arrested with shooting, but not killing the two police officers and faces life in prison. Williams claimed that he was in an accident with someone else and he did not mean to hit the two police officers. The case has not yet been presented to a grand jury in St. Louis Country.
The shooting of the two police officers made the atmosphere in Ferguson tenser between the protestors in Ferguson and the police force. For example, a lawsuit was recently settled entitling police agencies in Missouri to provide a clear warning to the citizens of Ferguson before dropping tear gas, an irritable gas used to disperse crowds of riots, or other smoke bombs on a certain area.
With towns in Ferguson on the edge of rebelling, protesting and rioting, the solution to this racism is far from being achieved. For now, the only thing citizens can hope for is peace for the deceased, justice for equal rights, and more hope for the future.
