There are two trainwrecks in this disaster. The cause of the Brown shooting is yet to be determined. Currently there isn't sufficient information, and such information might never be found, on whom blame should fall. We really don't know whether Brown was moving towards the patrol vehicle to execute an attack or away from it in attempt to flee at the time of the shooting and that seems to me the only legally relevant question.
The other problem which caused the ignition of communal outrage is the lack of professionalism of the various police agencies in St. Louis. Some officers are recorded to taunt protesters by calling them "animals" and telling them to "bring it", giving death threats to journalists, etc. One officer participating in riot control ops is recently outed for being insubordinate on social media, cracking jokes about punching Eric Holder in the face and mocking Captain Johnson, his commander assigned by the Governor. This kind of behavior wouldn't be tolerated in any kind of civilian corporate entity, let along the military. If one lacks the self-control to restrain from mocking your superiors on social media, it's hardly surprising that the locals take objection to having people like this patrolling the streets with guns.
The other problem which caused the ignition of communal outrage is the lack of professionalism of the various police agencies in St. Louis. Some officers are recorded to taunt protesters by calling them "animals" and telling them to "bring it", giving death threats to journalists, etc. One officer participating in riot control ops is recently outed for being insubordinate on social media, cracking jokes about punching Eric Holder in the face and mocking Captain Johnson, his commander assigned by the Governor. This kind of behavior wouldn't be tolerated in any kind of civilian corporate entity, let along the military. If one lacks the self-control to restrain from mocking your superiors on social media, it's hardly surprising that the locals take objection to having people like this patrolling the streets with guns.
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