Police Officer Critically Injured Amid Tense Anniversary Protests

An officer from the Ferguson, Missouri Police Department is now nursing a “severe brain injury” and fighting for his life after a violent encounter during a protest marking the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death, according to USA Today. The original incident dates back to 2014, when a white officer from the Ferguson Police Department shot and killed Michael Brown — a black man — sparking nationwide outrage and a wave of protests, birthing the Black Lives Matter and “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” movements.

However, it was later revealed by the Justice Department that Brown did not have his hands up, and the officer who shot him acted in self-defense. This narrative of Brown surrendering before being shot turned out to be false, as even Jonathan Capehart, a far-left Washington Post op-ed writer, conceded that “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” was “built on a lie.” Despite this, protests and chants containing this narrative continue to this day.

“The Ferguson Police Department since 2014 has been a punching bag for this community.”

The recent incident occurred on a Friday night, right outside the Ferguson police headquarters. Police Chief Troy Doyle reported that Officer Travis Brown and his colleagues were attempting to arrest protestors who had damaged a fence outside the police station when an individual charged at Officer Brown. Officer Brown fell backwards and hit his head on the ground, resulting in his current critical condition.

A subsequent press conference held by the Ferguson Police Department shared bodycam footage that revealed the suspect assaulting Officer Brown, knocking him onto the pavement. Chief Doyle disputed any claims that Officer Brown had merely slipped and fallen.

“If you look at the video, [Officer Brown] is standing up, waiting to catch this guy,” Doyle stated, before adding the suspect “tackled my guy like he’s a football player.”

Don Van, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 15 overseeing the Ferguson area, disclosed that Officer Brown remained hospitalized and unconscious, as reported by USA Today.

The alleged assailant, Elijah M. Gantt, 28, was later identified and charged with first-degree assault, resisting arrest, property damage, and two counts of fourth-degree assault, according to KTVI. It was also reported that Gantt struck another officer in the head during his arrest.

“The Ferguson Police Department since 2014 has been a punching bag for this community,” Chief Doyle voiced his frustration at a news conference, questioning the motives of the protests given the many reforms implemented by the department, which include body-worn cameras, implicit bias training, crisis intervention training, and even changing of the uniforms to avoid triggering certain individuals. He ended his speech with a stern warning against any further destruction of the city and harm to his officers.

Interestingly, Ferguson Police Department, which had few black officers in 2014, is now over 50% black, as noted by Chief Doyle, who himself is black, according to USA Today.

Officer Travis Brown, who joined the Ferguson police force on January 2, was motivated to become a police officer to “do the right thing,” and “be a part of the change.” A veteran officer, Brown was a part of the St. Louis Police Department from August 2012 to October 2023, serving as a patrol and tactical operations officer, USA Today reported. In a tragic turn of events, he now lies critically injured after being assaulted during a protest.

Watch a local news report about the incident below:

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