Content warning: Graphic video
Two new shocking videos have been released showing the moment a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer was violently beaten to death by a suspect during a Michael Brown protest on Friday, leaving the officer in critical condition.
The protest took place just 10 days before the start of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), and among those arrested on Friday was Keith Rose, a DNC delegate from St. Louis and a member of the city of St. Louis’ Civilian Oversight Board, which reviews allegations of police misconduct. Fox 2 reported. Rhodes subsequently withdrew from the Democratic National Committee delegate slate.
“Keith Rhodes has voluntarily decided to decline his position as an independent alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention,” the Missouri Democratic Party said in a statement.
New video taken from two different angles shows Ferguson Police Officer Travis Brown being punched by suspect Elijah Gant, 28, on the sidewalk outside the station after protesters tried to knock down the station’s perimeter fence. Police say Brown was seriously injured in the attack during protests marking the 10th anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown and is “fighting for his life.”
Ferguson police officer injured during protests marking 10th anniversary of Michael Brown shooting: ‘Fighting for life’
Ferguson Police Officer Travis Brown faces charges from suspect. (Ferguson Police Department)
Newly released video from CCTV and another officer’s body camera shown at Tuesday’s press conference shows the suspect take a running start and lunge at the officer, causing the officer’s head to hit the pavement hard. Other officers rush to the scene and tackle the suspect, as Brown falls unconscious and onto his back with the suspect lying on his chest.
Brown, who has twin young daughters, hit her head in the fall and suffered severe brain injuries.
“It’s clear to see that my officer was attacked and severely punched by this man,” Police Chief Troy Doyle said Tuesday. “If you watch the video, you see my officer standing up, waiting to get hold of this man. This man tackled my officer like a football player.”
Many of the roughly 150 people who attended the news conference, including at least 30 police officers and mayors of several St. Louis-area cities, gasped at the footage.
Gant, of East St. Louis, Illinois, already faces an assault charge and faces a new assault charge for allegedly kicking another officer in the head, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said. Gant is being held on $500,000 bail.
Doyle told reporters that protesters were peaceful for much of Friday night and that he allowed police to block roads outside the station, but did not intervene when protesters began shaking down fences outside the station.
But Doyle said he sent in arrest teams, including Officer Brown, who is black, because protesters had broken down fences and vandalized property on police grounds.
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Ferguson Police Officer Travis Brown is in critical condition after hitting his head on the pavement during the attack. (Ferguson Police Department)
Rose, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, is currently being charged with first-degree criminal damage to property after he allegedly kicked down part of a metal gate outside the Ferguson Police Station during a protest. He was released on $500 bail, FOX 2 reported.
According to the outlet, Rose’s lawyers argued that the accusations were false and that Rose was not involved in destroying the fence.
Officer Brown joined the police department in January and previously served with the St. Louis County Police Department. He is one of a wave of Black officers hired by the department since 2014. At the time, the department had only three Black officers, but now Black officers make up more than half of the force, Doyle said.
“He wanted to be a part of change,” Doyle said at a news conference over the weekend. “He wanted to make an impact in our community. He is the type of officer we want in our community. And what happened? He was assaulted. I had to look his mother in the eye and tell her what happened to her son. I will never do that again. I promise you that.”
Brown’s family released a statement on Wednesday praising emergency workers and thanking the public for the overwhelming support they have received, and asking for people to continue praying.
“We remain hopeful and trust in the power of faith to see him through this difficult time,” the statement read.
“Travis is much more than a police officer. He is a dedicated father, son, brother, uncle, godfather and friend. He is strong in his beliefs, has a heart as big as his smile and his positive energy is truly contagious. TJ is many things: an athlete, an adventurer, a movie lover and more. We know that once he recovers, he is determined to continue living life to the fullest.”
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Ferguson Police Officer Travis Brown on duty. (Ferguson Police Department)
The violence that led to Brown’s injury prompted angry responses from Doyle and some residents of Ferguson, a city of about 18,000 people, about two-thirds of whom are black. Many are wondering why protesters are so angry, given how much the city has changed over the past decade.
“Let’s recognize the good things that have been done in the police department, the reforms,” Doyle said Tuesday.
In 2014, the Ferguson Police Department had about 50 white officers and just three black officers. Today, 22 of the 41 officers are black, including Travis Brown. Officers are trained in crisis intervention and anti-bias measures, and Doyle said he even redesigned the uniforms after residents said the old ones were “provocative.”
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Police Chief Troy Doyle stands in front of the Ferguson Police Department on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Ferguson, Missouri. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)
Two other officers were also injured, one with a wounded ankle and the other with abrasions, and both were treated at the scene.
Michael Brown’s death sparked mass demonstrations in Ferguson, Missouri and across the United States and solidified the Black Lives Matter movement.
In 2015, the Department of Justice declined to indict Darren Wilson, the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, but released a highly critical report that identified racism in the Ferguson Police Department and county courthouse.
The DNC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Fox News’ Steven Sorellice and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
