Missouri Governor Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Ruling in Ferguson Shooting
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson ahead of a grand jury's decision regarding criminal charges against Police Officer Darren Wilson.
A grand jury will soon decide if Wilson should receive criminal charges for the shooting and death of unarmed teen Michael Brown back in August, prompting several weeks of protests and some riots in the St. Louis suburb.
"As part of our ongoing efforts to plan and be prepared for any contingency, it is necessary to have these resources in place in advance of any announcement of the grand jury's decision," Governor Nixon said in a statement.
Nixon's decision to declare a state of emergency puts the state's National Guard on call to aid police, and also puts the larger St. Louis County Police Department in charge of maintain protesters.
According to CNN, Nixon stated in his executive order that he was declaring a state of emergency due to the "possibility of expanded unrest."
In a statement made last week, Nixon reiterated Ferguson's dedication to maintaining peace in the suburb following Wilson's possible indictment.
"In the days immediately following Michael Brown's death, peaceful protests were marred by senseless acts of violence and destruction," the Missouri governor said, adding: "that ugliness was not representative of Missouri, and it cannot be repeated."
While the majority of protests surrounding Brown's death were peaceful, some protests turned violent with the throwing of Molotov cocktails and the looting of stores. According to Fox News, activists are already meeting in Ferguson to map out their protest plans, should Wilson be acquitted.
