A pathologist hired by the family of an unarmed Missouri teenager fatally shot by police says a bullet wound to his arm may have happened when he put his hands up, “but we don’t know.”
Forensic pathologist Shawn Parcells said Monday that an independent autopsy shows 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot at least six times, including twice in the head.
Parcells says a graze wound on Brown’s right arm could have occurred in several ways. He says the teen may have had his back to the shooter, or he could have been facing the shooter with his hands above his head or in a defensive position.
Brown was fatally shot by a police officer Aug. 9 in Ferguson, touching off a week of rancorous protests in the St. Louis suburb.
Meantime, Missouri’s governor says the National Guard will help “in restoring peace and order” to the town of Ferguson.
Gov. Jay Nixon’s order to send in the Guard came after Sunday night’s violence in which police used tear gas to clear protesters off the streets well ahead of a curfew.
Police say they were responding to vandalism, looting, gunfire and some people tossing Molotov cocktails.
Attorney General Eric Holder has ordered a federal medical examiner to perform a third autopsy on Michael Brown. Results of a state-performed autopsy have not been released.
The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article.
Guest
- Ben Kesling, reporter for The Wall Street Journal. He tweets @bkesling.
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