JEFFERSON CITY—State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal released the following statement on the incident in Ferguson this weekend:
“A young life was lost this weekend. We do not know all of the details, except that this young man does not have the chance to explain himself.
I feel the frustration of my district. I hear those two words over and over in my mind—unarmed, fleeing. I vow to make sure there is a transparent and thorough investigation, including why there is no dash cam video, and I will report my findings to my district.
I also call independent citizen police review boards for every municipal police department. All levels of public service must be held to the highest professional standards. A citizen review board provides that standard, as well as a mechanism for citizens to exert final control over their government.
We the people need to feel secure when we come to the police with a concern—not threatened. I also recommend that all police departments renew their efforts at community outreach. Part of that outreach must include hiring practices that reflect the makeup of the community. There is an obvious and apparent lack of minorities among police ranks. That needs to stop.
We must keep our focus on Mike Brown and his family. As Ferguson rebuilds, we must all work on rebuilding our community. I condemn all acts of violence and looting. These are not the actions of upstanding citizens; these are the worst among us— taking advantage of human tragedy for their own personal gain. We must all condemn these acts and those behind them. Wearing a mask to avoid identification, breaking into a business and stealing contents is not community activism. It is a crime and must be treated as such.
The police officer involved in the shooting will have a chance to explain himself. I only wish Michael Brown had that chance.
Our prayers go out to the family of Michael Brown.”
