FBI, Justice Department to join investigation into shooting death of Michael Brown
After a grieving community erupted in flames and broken glass over the killing of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by the local police department, the governor of Missouri has requested the assistance of the Justice Department.
BuzzFeed reports that just hours after the riots that broke out in Ferguson had subsided, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon asked for an investigation by the Justice Department, which has said that it will fulfill the governor's request.
In a press release, Nixon called for a proper investigation and offered his condolences by saying, "It is vital that the facts about this case are gathered in a thorough, transparent and impartial manner, in which the public has complete confidence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this tragic event, and I ask St. Louis County residents to exercise patience and respect for their neighbors as federal authorities work to get to the bottom of what happened through this comprehensive, independent review."
The Justice Department responded to the request quickly. No less a figure than the Attorney General Eric Holder himself released a statement promising to aid in the investigation.
Holder said in part, "The shooting incident in Ferguson, Missouri this weekend deserves a fulsome review. In addition to the local investigation already underway, FBI agents from the St. Louis field office, working together with attorneys from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and US Attorney's Office, have opened a concurrent, federal inquiry. The federal investigation will supplement, rather than supplant, the inquiry by local authorities. At every step, we will work with the local investigators, who should be prepared to complete a thorough, fair investigation in their own right."
Holder said that he would be receiving regular updates on the progress of the investigation. He also emphasized that an energetic and proper investigation into cases such as this are absolutely integral to the preservation of mutual trust and respect between law enforcement and the general public.
