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of Michael Brown, whose shooting death by a Ferguson police officer touched off a week of volatile protests that boiled over for another night late Sunday.
Meanwhile, a private autopsy requested by the family showed Brown was struck at least six times, including a fatal shot to the skull, Anthony Gray, an attorney for Brown’s family, said Sunday night.
All bullets entered the front of his body; two shots hit Brown’s head and four hit his right arm, according to a report by the New York Times.
According to the Times, Dr. Michael M. Baden, who conducted the autopsy, said: “This one here looks like his head was bent downward,” indicating the wound at the very top of Brown’s head. “It can be because he’s giving up, or because he’s charging forward at the officer.”
Baden is the former chief medical examiner for New York City and has been involved in numerous high-profile cases including reviewing the autopsy of President John F. Kennedy. Baden told the Times the shots did not appear to have been fired at close range, but he was unable to examine Brown’s clothing for gunshot residue.
Appearing on Good Morning America Monday, Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump said the autopsy "confirms our worst fear, that the witnesses were telling the truth."
Baden also said the number of gunshot wounds Brown sustained could have been released by authorities immediately.
In a statement earlier Sunday when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder ordered the Justice Department to conduct its own independent autopsy, Holder cited the “extraordinary circumstances” surrounding the fatal shooting on Aug. 9 of Brown, 18. Members of Brown’s family sought the federal autopsy, saying they lacked confidence in the state investigation being conducted by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch and St. Louis County Police.
The federal autopsy will take place “as soon as possible,” according to a Justice Department statement.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon emphasized the role of the federal investigation over local efforts during a series of appearances on Sunday morning news shows.
Nixon said McCulloch, who has publicly criticized the decision to bring the Missouri Highway Patrol into Ferguson, had an opportunity to “step up here and do his job.”
Brown was unarmed when he was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, 28, police say.
Gray said the preliminary private autopsy was conducted Sunday. The family planned to react to the report this morning at a news conference.
The autopsy is the second — the first was conducted locally.
Dorian Johnson, 22, may be the closest eyewitness to the shooting. He has repeatedly told media that he and Brown were walking in the middle of the street when the officer pulled up and ordered them to “get the F on the sidewalk” and grabbed Brown by the throat. Johnson disputed a statement by St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar that Brown had reached into the car and struggled for Wilson’s gun.
Johnson has said that Wilson shot Brown, who ran. The officer ran after him and Brown turned and put up his hands in surrender, and the officer shot him again, Johnson said.
Authorities haven't released their version of how Brown was shot, but Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson has said there was a struggle and Wilson sustained facial injuries during the encounter.
Brown’s death has sparked more than a week of protests, outrage and looting. Allegations of racism are at the heart of the protests because Brown was a black teenager and was shot by a white Ferguson police officer.
Chuck Raasch, Jesse Bogan, Joe Holleman, Margaret Gillerman, Denise Hollinshed, Michael D. Sorkin and Ken Leiser, all of the Post-Dispatch, contributed to this report.
Meanwhile, a private autopsy requested by the family showed Brown was struck at least six times, including a fatal shot to the skull, Anthony Gray, an attorney for Brown’s family, said Sunday night.
All bullets entered the front of his body; two shots hit Brown’s head and four hit his right arm, according to a report by the New York Times.
According to the Times, Dr. Michael M. Baden, who conducted the autopsy, said: “This one here looks like his head was bent downward,” indicating the wound at the very top of Brown’s head. “It can be because he’s giving up, or because he’s charging forward at the officer.”
Baden is the former chief medical examiner for New York City and has been involved in numerous high-profile cases including reviewing the autopsy of President John F. Kennedy. Baden told the Times the shots did not appear to have been fired at close range, but he was unable to examine Brown’s clothing for gunshot residue.
Appearing on Good Morning America Monday, Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump said the autopsy "confirms our worst fear, that the witnesses were telling the truth."
Baden also said the number of gunshot wounds Brown sustained could have been released by authorities immediately.
In a statement earlier Sunday when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder ordered the Justice Department to conduct its own independent autopsy, Holder cited the “extraordinary circumstances” surrounding the fatal shooting on Aug. 9 of Brown, 18. Members of Brown’s family sought the federal autopsy, saying they lacked confidence in the state investigation being conducted by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch and St. Louis County Police.
The federal autopsy will take place “as soon as possible,” according to a Justice Department statement.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon emphasized the role of the federal investigation over local efforts during a series of appearances on Sunday morning news shows.
Nixon said McCulloch, who has publicly criticized the decision to bring the Missouri Highway Patrol into Ferguson, had an opportunity to “step up here and do his job.”
Brown was unarmed when he was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, 28, police say.
Gray said the preliminary private autopsy was conducted Sunday. The family planned to react to the report this morning at a news conference.
The autopsy is the second — the first was conducted locally.
Dorian Johnson, 22, may be the closest eyewitness to the shooting. He has repeatedly told media that he and Brown were walking in the middle of the street when the officer pulled up and ordered them to “get the F on the sidewalk” and grabbed Brown by the throat. Johnson disputed a statement by St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar that Brown had reached into the car and struggled for Wilson’s gun.
Johnson has said that Wilson shot Brown, who ran. The officer ran after him and Brown turned and put up his hands in surrender, and the officer shot him again, Johnson said.
Authorities haven't released their version of how Brown was shot, but Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson has said there was a struggle and Wilson sustained facial injuries during the encounter.
Brown’s death has sparked more than a week of protests, outrage and looting. Allegations of racism are at the heart of the protests because Brown was a black teenager and was shot by a white Ferguson police officer.
Chuck Raasch, Jesse Bogan, Joe Holleman, Margaret Gillerman, Denise Hollinshed, Michael D. Sorkin and Ken Leiser, all of the Post-Dispatch, contributed to this report.