FERGUSON, Mo. — Ferguson police on Wednesday released body camera footage belonging to Officer Travis Brown, showing a protester knocking Brown to the ground on the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown’s death.
Brown suffered a life-threatening brain injury in the Friday night incident, and he remained in a coma as of Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the department released surveillance video and body camera footage from another officer that also showed the incident.
On Wednesday the department released more videos, including body camera footage from Brown's body-worn camera that showed the moment he was knocked down, followed by his fellow officers' frantic efforts to get him medical treatment.
Wednesday, 5 On Your Side shared the newly released video with Chief Ron Battelle, the Executive Director of Backstoppers. The group supports first responders who are hurt in the line of duty.
"He was doing his job....There was no need for that," Battelle said, adding he went to the hospital days after the attack. "...We were over there 2 nights ago, gave the family a $10k check and there's more there where that came from."
The former police chief recalled the family's grief.
"Pain and suffering... Concern, not knowing what the future brings," he said.
Police Chief Troy Doyle, speaking at a news conference, said the body camera footage shows that the suspect, 28-year-old Elijah Gantt of East St. Louis, Illinois, had charged at Officer Travis Brown on a sidewalk outside the police station after protesters attempted to pull down a perimeter fence.
Editor's note: The following video released by the Ferguson Police Department is graphic and disturbing. It includes crude language. Viewer discretion is advised.
Video played at the news conference from two different angles shows that a man, identified by Doyle as Gantt, had a running start and flattened the officer, whose head violently struck the pavement. Brown was unconscious and prone on his back with the suspect lying on his chest as other officers quickly arrived and jumped on the suspect.
Many of the 150 or so people at the news conference — including at least three dozen police officers and mayors from several St. Louis-area cities — gasped when they saw it.
“If you look at the video, the officer is standing up, waiting to catch this guy,” Doyle said. “This guy tackled my guy like he’s a football player.”
Police said the injured officer remained in critical condition. A prayer vigil was planned Tuesday evening outside the police station.
“If you haven’t condemned this act, if you haven’t condemned what happened to my officer, then you are part of the problem,” Doyle told protest leaders.
The two other officers injured in the protest are already back at work.
Battelle said he shared a message with the chief: "I told him, 'Stand your ground.' We got to stand up for these police officers and first responders when they start laying out injuries on them like this, we stand our ground."
Gantt, who was already charged with assault, faced a new assault charge for allegedly kicking another officer in the head, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell said.
Another defendant was charged with property damage for damaging the fence, as well as assault, he said. Three others were charged with various other crimes. Bell said restraint by the police kept the situation from being worse and that police “did a tremendous job” of allowing protests that were originally peaceful.
“Now we have an officer who is fighting for his life and I have to ask: For what?” Bell said.
Ferguson became synonymous with the national Black Lives Matter movement after Michael Brown, a Black 18-year-old, was killed by Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson Aug. 9, 2014, in the St. Louis suburb. Travis Brown is not related to Michael Brown.
Three separate investigations found no grounds to prosecute Wilson, who resigned in November 2014. But Michael Brown’s death led to months of often violent protests. It also spurred a U.S. Department of Justice investigation that required anti-discrimination changes to Ferguson policing and the courts.
Bell said during Tuesday's news conference that if protesters were still angry that Wilson wasn’t charged, they need to understand that isn’t going to happen unless new evidence emerges.
Travis Brown, 36, is the son of a retired St. Louis city police officer and the father of two young daughters. Soon after graduating from college, he joined the St. Louis County Police Department, in 2012. He joined the Ferguson police force in January.
A former supervisor for the St. Louis County department, Lt. Ray Rice, said Travis Brown became a police officer to make a difference.
“Everybody says, ‘Where are all of the good police officers?’” Rice said. “Travis is one of those people.”
Gantt is charged with assault of a special victim, resisting arrest and property damage. A judge on Monday set a bond hearing for Aug. 19 and a preliminary hearing for Sept. 11. Gantt is jailed on a $500,000 cash-only bond. He does not yet have an attorney.
The violence that resulted in Travis Brown’s injury drew an angry response from Doyle and from several people in Ferguson, a community of about 18,000 where roughly two-thirds of residents are Black. Many wondered what protesters were so angry about given the changes in Ferguson over the past decade.
“Let’s recognize the good that has taken place in our police department. Let’s recognize the reform," Doyle said at the news conference on Tuesday.
In 2014, the Ferguson department had around 50 white officers and only three Black officers. Today, 22 of the 41 officers are Black, including Travis Brown.
Officers today also undergo frequent training on crisis intervention, avoiding bias and other areas. Officers now also wear body cameras. Doyle even changed the look of uniforms, patches and badges after residents said the old look was “triggering.”
“We stand here today in solidarity with our police department, our police chief,” Ferguson Mayor Ella Jones said. “Ferguson has made a lot of strides, and this one act is not going to stop us from moving forward.”
The mayor said she visited Brown's mother and sister on Monday with Doyle.
"A mom's heart is broken over foolishness. A sister is sitting there trying to figure out who will come from the family to take the next watch to sit with Officer Brown," Jones said.
Brown's family said in a statement, "While it is impossible to personally thank everyone who has contributed, we want to acknowledge the entire first responder community, who have played a vital role in assisting Travis."
They also said Brown is more than a police officer; he is a devoted father, son and a man of strong faith.