Ferguson: Darren Wilson Remains In Hiding As Michael Brown Verdict Nears
As Ferguson awaits a grand jury’s verdict in the shooting death of Michael Brown, officer Darren Wilson has remained in hiding amid growing unrest and even an apparent bounty on his head.
Wilson reportedly testified to a grand jury last month regarding the August 9 shooting death of Brown, who was unarmed at the time of his killing. While some witnesses said that Brown had his hands up at the time he was shot, others came forward to say he was attacking Wilson when the officer opened fire.
While many protesters have called for Darren Wilson to be brought to justice and others have threatened his life, Wilson himself has remained out of the public spotlight and in hiding.
A friend of Wilson’s said that he is doing as well as he can, despite rising anxiety in Ferguson over the Michael Brown verdict.
“I talk to him every other day, he’s doing OK,” a close friend of the officer told Yahoo News this week. The friend said he could not elaborate on Wilson’s condition until “after the grand jury ruling.”
Earlier this week, a group calling itself RbG Black Rebels posted on Twitter what appeared to be a bounty on Wilson’s head, offering cash for anyone who could disclose his whereabouts.
“We are paying $5k cash for location of Ofc. Darren Wilson. Real $, no joke, no crime we just wana get his photo an ask him a few questions,” the group claimed.
The group claimed it was not placing a bounty on Wilson’s head, but later published a series of tweets promising violence in Ferguson and bragging about stockpiling ammunition and guns.
Police in Ferguson are expecting widescale protests in Ferguson after the Michael Brown verdict is made public, an announcement that is expected any day. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has already declared a state of emergency, making it easier for National Guard troops to assist with controlling protestors.
Local law enforcement officials say they do not expect an indictment against Darren Wilson when the Michael Brown verdict is returned, and some believe this information was leaked on purpose to prepare protestors for the possibility of no charges in the teen’s death.
