Newly released videos show a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer being violently knocked over by a suspect during a protest commemorating the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death. The incident has left Officer Travis Brown, a Black officer who joined the force in January, in critical condition with a severe brain injury.
The suspect, Elijah Gantt, was already charged with assault and is now facing a new charge for allegedly kicking another officer in the head. He is jailed on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
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New video footage from two different angles shows Officer Brown being struck by 28-year-old suspect Gantt on a sidewalk outside a police station. The incident occurred after protesters tried to dismantle a perimeter fence.
One of the protesters allegedly involved in the fence incident and arrested during the protest was Keith Rose, a St. Louis alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and a member of the City of St. Louis’ Civilian Oversight Board.
Court documents say that Rose kicked in part of the fencing.
Rose has since withdrawn as an alternate DNC delegate and is facing charges of first-degree property damage.
The violence that resulted in Officer Brown’s injury drew an angry response from Police Chief Troy Doyle and from several people in Ferguson, a community that has undergone significant changes since the 2014 protests following Michael Brown’s death.
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In 2014, the Ferguson police 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 and avoiding bias, and Doyle said he even changed the look of uniforms after residents said the old look was “triggering.”
Brown’s family released a statement praising first responders and thanking the public for their support. They also asked for continued prayers and expressed hope for his recovery.
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