FERGUSON, Mo. — Ferguson police officer Travis Brown has made progress as he fights for his life in the hospital.
St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell was with Brown's family at the hospital and said Monday afternoon, there was some reason to be "cautiously optimistic."
Out of respect for the family, Bell didn't want to elaborate on the progress.
He said, "Officer Brown is not out of the woods, he is still fighting."
Bell told 5 On Your Side that besides family members, fellow officers were at the hospital along with Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones.
Friday night, protestors were outside the Ferguson Police Department, as the day marked 10 years since Michael Brown Jr. was killed by a Ferguson police officer. Police said Brown was "charged" by a protestor fleeing from police, which caused Brown to fall backward, striking his head and causing severe injuries.
Five people were charged, including Emily Davis, Derrick Robinson, Phillip March and Keith Rose. All have posted bail.
Police documents said Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis was the person who ran into Brown. Gantt, 28, was being held on $500,000 bond.
On Monday, 5 On Your Side learned Gantt was applying for counsel and a bond hearing is set for Aug. 19. The preliminary hearing is on Sept. 11.
Brown joined the Ferguson Police Department in January.
St. Louis County Police Department told 5 On Your Side Brown was employed as a police officer with the St. Louis County Police Department from August 2012 through October 2023.
A spokesperson said, "Officer Brown served the citizens of St. Louis County as a patrol officer in the Central County Precinct and the City of Jennings Precinct. He was also a Tactical Operations Officer in the Tactical Unit. During his time at St. Louis County, Travis made a positive impact on our community and made many friends throughout the Department."
The Ethical Society Police shared this statement to social media on Monday:
"It is with a heavy heart that we address the serious injury of Police Officer Travis Brown during what began as a peaceful protest in the City of Ferguson. Our thoughts are with Travis, his family, and his colleagues during this difficult time.For those who may not know Travis, he is the son of a retired St. Louis City officer, an ESOP member, a beloved sibling, a devoted father, and an all-around good person. Travis exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated and honorable police officer—he is the answer to those who ask, “Where are all the good police officers?”We fully support the right to peaceful protest and understand the deep pain and frustration that often drive people to take to the streets.
"This community has endured immense hardship and has bravely called for justice and accountability. However, violence—whether directed at individuals, property, or law enforcement—cannot and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.The actions of a few who resort to violence undermine the very cause they claim to support. Violence begets more violence and further deepens the divisions we are all striving to heal. Those who incite or excuse such behavior not only endanger police officers but also threaten the safety of peaceful protesters and the community at large. It is essential to hold accountable not only the perpetrators of these violent acts but also those who encourage or condone them.
"We call on clergy, political leaders, and civic leaders to stand united in delivering a clear and unequivocal message: violence is never the answer. As a community, we must also reject rhetoric that encourages lawlessness with the expectation of impunity. Such attitudes are counterproductive to the progress we all seek in achieving true police reform and accountability. Only through peace, dialogue, and mutual respect can we hope to move forward.As we keep Travis and his family in our thoughts and prayers, we urge everyone to reflect on the importance of coming together to ensure that our collective efforts lead to meaningful change rather than further harm."
Former St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch described "TJ" as a man with a contagious smile and an aura that makes him incredibly special.
Meanwhile, communities in the St. Louis area have put together several donation efforts such as the Webster Groves Police Association, which is collecting funds.
"Police officers, it's a big community - we all look out for each other," Lt. Joshua Weber with the Webster Groves Police Officers Association said. "Whether you work for Ferguson or Webster Groves Police Department, we just want to make sure families are being taken care of, and officers know we are looking out for each other."
To find ways to donate, head to its Facebook page:
There is also a GoFundMe page set up for Brown.
Couture Customs by Gina, a local vendor in St. Louis, also created t-shirts for Brown's family to raise funds. The support has been overwhelming.
The owner said, "Due to the large volume of orders, the link to purchase has been temporarily disabled so I can focus on fulfilling the many orders already received. As a one-woman show, creating these shirts from my home, I appreciate your patience and understanding."
Ferguson business owner Joshura Davis commends Brown for signing up to be a part of the Ferguson Police Department, especially after what their community endured 10 years ago.
"It's brave to say I want to be a part of that," Davis added. "To me to step up to be a police officer in Ferguson, they know coming in they want to make a change and be a difference and be a part of the community to make a change."
After Michael Brown's death, the Ferguson business leader kept his insurance agency on West Florissant to see his community grow.
He was worried their progress could've been threatened by Friday's news.
However, he still believes in his community.
"I want the (Ferguson) chief to know the incident and outside agitators, it doesn't define our community and how it feels about the police department," Davis shared. "We’re reflective in the progress we’ve made, we don’t want anyone to destroy that. Let’s keep that alliance going on and community love going on."
Keith Rose's attorney Javad Khazaeli provided the following statement:
"There are pictures that show that Mr. Rose was not involved in damaging the fence. We are confused as to why he has been charged. This is the second time that Ferguson has tried to charge my clients with property damage, the last time being the use of Crayola chalk on a sidewalk. We are confident that we will prevail again like we did last time. That being said, our thoughts are with the officer who was injured."
Rose is a member of the Civilian Oversight Board in the City of St. Louis. A spokesperson with Mayor Tishaura Jones' office said he has agreed to recuse himself from all board activities other than training while his case works its way through the court system.