HANDS UP DON’T SHOOT It was just after noon on Saturday August 9 2014 Gunshots echoed through the Canfield Green apartment complex The complex was in Ferguson outside of Saint Louis Missouri Residents rushed to their windows and doors Some poured into the streets There they found two white police officers The officers stood near the body of Michael Brown an 18-year-old African-American man Brown had been shot by Darren Wilson one of the officers Police kept onlookers from approaching the shooting site 5
A crowd quickly gathered at the site Many pulled out their phones to take photos and videos As time passed the crowd grew to hundreds of people Many became restless They wanted to know why Brown had been shot They wondered why his body remained on the ground hours later More police officers arrived Some came in armored vehicles Others led police dogs Many wore full riot gear After four and a half hours police finished their on-scene investigation They removed Brown’s body from the site There is no police standard for how long a body should remain on the ground after a shooting But many people in the crowd were angry that Brown’s body had remained in the open so long They felt it took away Brown’s dignity Brown’s mother approached the spot where the body had been The crowd followed Some laid flowers and candles on the ground The crowd prayed and sang together 6
Brown’s mother scattered rose petals on the spot where he was killed As night fell the crowds remained They raised their hands into the air Many shouted Hands up don’t shoot They believed these to be Brown’s last words though a later report said that Brown likely didn’t have his hands up when he was shot That night someone set a dumpster on fire 7
