Protestors Rally In Baltimore Following Deadly Mo. Police Shooting
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A deadly police shooting sparks a week of rising tensions in Ferguson, Missouri. Protestors take to the streets of Baltimore to rally for the victim, 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Rick Ritter was in the middle of that rally.
What started as dozens of protestors quickly turned into hundreds. The rally comes after days of chaos in Missouri.
Explosions sound off in the streets of Ferguson. Wednesday marked another night of chaos after police and protestors traded tear gas and firebombs.
Tensions were so high across the country, President Obama interrupted his vacation.
"There is never an excuse for violence against police. There's also no excuse for police to use excessive force against peaceful protests," the president said.
The protests stemmed from Saturday's deadly police shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. Tiffany Mitchell watched the struggle unfold from her window.
"He puts his hands up and the cop just continues to walk up on him and shoot him until he goes all the way down," Mitchell said.
From Missouri to Baltimore City, support for Michael Brown is growing by the day.
Hundreds of people marched throughout city streets Thursday as police watched on, sending a powerful message beyond signs in-hand.
"This man had his hands up. He was surrendering to the police when he was murdered," said Elder C.D. Witherspoon, president of Southern Christian Leadership Conferences.
A friend to the victim's family and prominent Baltimore pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant criticizes police for not releasing the officer's name.
"I don't know how you protect somebody who has committed a full-scale murder," Dr. Bryant said.
Many demand answers in the investigation.
"It pains me to the core of my spirit to know that these types of things happen in our society and there are no consequences," Witherspoon said.
Dr. Bryant says Monday was supposed to be Michael Brown's first day of college. Meanwhile, police tell WJZ there were no major arrests or incidents at Thursday night's rally.
The Missouri governor ordered highway patrol to take over policing Ferguson, stripping local police of their authority. With state police now in charge, Thursday night's protests have been peaceful so far.
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