Protests broke out in the streets of downtown St. Louis after a not-guilty verdict was read by the judge ruling over the trial of an officer who shot a Black man dead, following a 2011 police chase, on Friday, September 15.
Authorities in the Missouri city were prepared for civil unrest and will be heading into the weekend, as they had been put on notice for some time about activists' plans to mobilize against an unjust outcome for the late Anthony Lamar Smith. A 24-year-old Smith was gunned down not far from the suburb of Ferguson, where three years later Michael Brown was reportedly slain with his hands in the air. The case was steeped in controversy when a video filmed by a witness reared up to show the moments after the crash ended the chase and the subsequent shooting by officer Jason Stockley took place. Police dashcam footage would also be released, raising suspicions that Stockley had planted a firearm to incriminate Smith. Video evidence also recorded Stockley saying he was going to kill Smith prior to catching up to him and firing his weapon.
Within hours of Stockley being acquitted of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, hundreds began to march. The protest was largely peaceful but began to get more intense as the hours passed. By evening time the Metropolitan Police Department began instructing citizens to disperse from the area, but many refused to comply. At the height of tensions bottles, rocks, and other objects were thrown at police, injuring four. Video clips of demonstrators lawfully carrying rifles began to circulate social media, as did a recording of a couple of youthful citizens jumping on the hood of a police vehicle.
As many as 13 people were arrested in the upheaval.
