New videos show the moment a Ferguson police officer was violently knocked over by a suspect during a Michael Brown protest. The officer is now fighting for his life as the community grapples with the aftermath of the attack.
Two new videos released by the Ferguson Police Department show the moment a police officer, Travis Brown, was violently knocked over by a suspect during a Michael Brown protest on Friday. The incident left Officer Brown in critical condition, and a suspect, Elijah Gantt, has been charged with assault.
Ferguson Officer Fighting for Life After Violent Assault
The videos, taken from two different angles, show Officer Brown apparently being hit by Gantt on a sidewalk outside a police station after protesters attempted to pull down a perimeter fence. Police say Brown is "fighting for his life" after being critically injured in the assault during protests on the 10th anniversary of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.
Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle said at a news conference that the videos show Gantt had a running start when he ran down Officer Brown, whose head violently struck the pavement. Officer Brown was unconscious and prone on his back with Gantt lying on his chest as other officers quickly arrived and jumped on Gantt.
Ferguson Officer Fighting for Life After Violent Assault
Brown, who has twin young daughters, suffered a severe brain injury after hitting his head in the fall. "I think it's a clear indication that my officer was charged and was hit violently by this individual," Doyle said. "If you look at the video, the officer is standing up, waiting to catch this guy. This guy tackled my guy like he's a football player."
Many of the 150 or so people at the news conference, including at least three dozen police officers and mayors from several St. Louis-area cities, gasped when they saw the footage. Gantt, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was already charged with assault and is facing a new assault charge for allegedly kicking another officer in the head, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said. Gantt is jailed on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
Ferguson Officer Fighting for Life After Violent Assault
Doyle said that protesters were peaceful for most of Friday night, and police allowed them to block streets outside the station. However, when protesters broke a fence, Doyle sent out an arrest team, which included Officer Brown. Keith Rose, a DNC delegate, is also accused of kicking in a metal gate during the protest and has been charged with first-degree property damage. He's free on a $500 bond.
Officer Brown started with the department in January and previously worked for the St. Louis County Police Department. He is part of a wave of Black officers hired into the department since 2014. Back then, there were just three Black officers in the department, but Black officers now make up more than half of the police force, Doyle said.
Ferguson Officer Fighting for Life After Violent Assault
"He wanted to be part of the change," Doyle said at a weekend press briefing. "He wanted to make an impact in our community. He's the type of officer that we want in our community. And what happens? He gets assaulted. I had to look his mother in the eye and tell her what happened to her son. I'm never going to do that again, I promise you that."
Brown's family released a statement on Wednesday praising first responders and thanking the public for the outpouring of support. They also asked for people's continued prayers. "We are holding onto hope and trusting in the power of faith to see him through this difficult time," the statement reads, in part.
Ferguson Officer Fighting for Life After Violent Assault
The violence that resulted in Officer Brown's injury drew an angry response from Doyle and from several people in Ferguson, a community of about 18,000 where roughly two-thirds of residents are Black. Many wondered what protesters were so angry about, given the changes in Ferguson over the past decade.
"Let's recognize the good that has taken place in our police department. Let's recognize the reform," Doyle said Tuesday. In 2014, the Ferguson department had around 50 White officers and only three Black officers. Today, 22 of the 41 officers are Black, including Travis Brown. Officers are trained in crisis intervention, avoiding bias, and Doyle said he even changed the look of uniforms after residents said the old look was "triggering."
Two other officers also were hurt in the protest, one sustaining an ankle injury and another an abrasion. Both were treated at the scene. Michael Brown's death led to massive demonstrations that helped solidify the Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, Missouri, and around the country.
In 2015, the Justice Department declined to charge Darren Wilson, the officer who shot Michael Brown, but released a highly critical report that noted racial bias in the Ferguson police department and the county courts. The DNC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
