Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson was named in the Michael Brown shooting during a Friday morning press conference. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson hosted a second press conference about the officer-involved shooting around noon. Captain Johnson agreed with residents who said the shooting is not a black and white issue.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , officer Darren Wilson has been on the police force for six years and does not have any disciplinary actions in his personnel file. Officer Wilson is from the St. Louis area. Governor Nixon began the press conference by stating that a security briefing has just completed before he and Captain Ron Johnson took the podium. He thanked law enforcement and protesters for their behavior on Thursday and working together to keeping the peace. The Missouri Governor referenced the Michael Brown shooting as a “horrific tragedy.”
Colonel Ron Replogle of the Missouri State Highway Patrol also thanked Captain Ron Johnson for the job he and his officers did the evening before in Ferguson. Some microphone issues hampered the first portion of the press conference.
Captain Ron Johnson said:
“Good afternoon, if you can’t hear me I will step out into the crowd a little bit. I’m going to stand here but if the crowd can’t here me I am going to step out so the crowd can hear what we are talking about. Last night was a great night, it as a great night. There were no calls for service, no tear gas, no road blocks no arrests, people were talking inspiring each other and getting their voices out. We were communicating a lot better. We are going to keep walking down there every night and give a briefing to the people in the community so I can come back here and give a proper response. I can tell you that today I will meet with the chief of Ferguson and talk about how that name [Darren Wilson] was released and see about getting a copy of the packet that was released, take packet into town for the people to see. Residents have the right to have a voice, a right to speech and to gather. Making sure those rights are maintained, that is what we will continue to do.”
Captain Ron Johnson continued, “I have not talked to chief Tom Jackson. So I am unaware of anything he has in place.” He pointed to the peace of the protests on Thursday evening as what is going to happen from here forward.
When asked about the timing of the release of Ferguson police officer Darrel Wilson’s name and the debate of a paramilitary or militarized police force, Captain Ron Johnson said, “I really can’t tell you what is going on with the timing because this on the news with everyone else. Last night you saw me out there communicating and respecting, that is what law enforcement is supposed to do. You re going to see a bunch of smiles, a bunch of hugs,that’s what your going to see from me.”
The Missouri State Highway Patrol official was asked if he and Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson were going to speak about the report handed out stating that Michael Brown was a robbery suspect before officer Darrel Wilson encountered him and the fatal shooting occurred. “There is going to be a serious conversation when I leave here, and that conversation will not be by phone. I can also tell you that in our anger we have to make sure we don’t burn down our own house and go down there and vandalize our own buildings. What I want is for us not to go down and burn our own neighborhood,” Captain Ron Johnson said during the press conference about Michael Brown and Darrel Wilson.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon added this during the press conference on Friday afternoon:
“Nothing should deter figuring out what and how Michael Brown was killed. There are going to be a lot of steps between now and when justice is served. There will be a lot of tension at various times. We will make sure that accurate, clear, thorough, and complete facts and information will be coming out. Certain things should have come out sooner but that’s not the point, the point is where we stand now. I think the focal point here remains how Michael Brown was killed and justice as appropriate in this case is served. Because of appropriate outpouring of angst about both substance and process, Captain Johnson and his officers are making sure folks have a chance to have a voice as well as to keep peace at same time.”
Captain Ron Johnson also stated that more things need to happen in the future in the Ferguson community to improve the community’s communication with police officers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol official also recommended hiring more minorities and women on the Ferguson Police Department.
There are currently 56 officers on staff and three are reportedly black. The number of women, if any, is unknown. It is also unclear how many minority and female applicants have attempted to garner a job in Ferguson.
[Image via Raw Story ]