Things are adding up rather quickly now.

First the full video from the convenience store robbery by Mike Brown and Darian Johnson:

Contrary to popular media spin, Police Chief Tom Jackson confirms that Officer Darren Wilson did see cigars in the hands of Mike Brown and did view him as a potential suspect in the previous strong-arm robbery when he approached for questioning.

MichaelBrownGangSigns(Saint Louis Dispatch) The officer who shot Ferguson teen Michael Brown stopped Brown and another teen because they were walking in the street, not because of a robbery a few minutes earlier, Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson said Friday afternoon.

Jackson said the officer was aware cigars had been taken in the robbery of a store nearby, but did not know when he encountered Brown and Dorian Johnson that they might be suspects. He stopped them because they were walking in the street, Jackson said.

But Jackson told the Post-Dispatch that the officer, Darren Wilson, saw cigars in Brown’s hand and realized he might be the robber.

Jackson also addressed concerns about his release of information about the robbery at the same time he released the name of the officer at a press conference Friday morning.

Jackson said he released the security video from the liquor store because news organizations had been requesting it under the Freedom of Information Act.

Asked by reporters why he released the tape, he said, “Because I had to. Too many people put in (freedom of information) requests for it.”

Told of the family’s angry reaction to the release, he said, “First, my heart goes out to the family. I can’t imagine what they are going through. We have given you everything that we have now… There is nothing else we have got.” 

Jackson said Wilson, 28, worked as a police officer in neighboring Jennings for two years before joining Ferguson about four years ago. He described Wilson as “a gentle, quiet man” and “a distinguished officer.”

Jennings closed its police department in late 2010 in the wake of a federal probe into the theft of grant money, and turned public safety over to St. Louis County Police. Jennings City Councilman Alan Stichnote said Wilson applied to the County Police to keep working in Jennings, but was not hired.

 For Wilson, Jackson said, the shooting “is absolutely devastating. He never intended for any of this to happen.”  (keep reading)

Michael Brown store robbery

In addition a friend of Officer Wilson shared this account of what took place:

He pulled up ahead of them. And then he got a call-in that there was a strong-arm robbery. And, they gave a description. And, he’s looking at them and they got something in their hands and it looks like it could be what, you know those cigars or whatever. So he goes in reverse back to them. Tries to get out of his car. They slam his door shut violently. I think he said Michael did. And, then he opened the car again. He tried to get out. He stands up.

And then Michael just bum-rushes him and shoves him back into his car. Punches him in the face and them Darren grabs for his gun. Michael grabbed for the gun. At one point he got the gun entirely turned against his hip. And he shoves it away. And the gun goes off.

Well, then Michael takes off and gets to be about 35 feet away. And, Darren’s first protocol is to pursue. So, he stands up and yells, “Freeze!” Michael and his friend turn around. And Michael taunts him… And then all the sudden he just started bumrushing him. He just started coming at him full speed. And, so he just started shooting. And, he just kept coming. And, so he really thinks he was on something.”  (link)

Daryl Parks and President Obama

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