Investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson fired back at Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren over a tweet memorializing the 2014 death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Brown’s death on August 9, 2014, at the hands of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, sparked nationwide protests as the public seized on later-debunked claims that Brown had thrown up his hands in surrender prior to Wilson shooting him. (RELATED: Holder Admits ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ Claim Was Bogus)
“Hands up, don’t shoot!” became the rallying cry that persisted in spite of a local investigation and a follow-up inquiry by President Barack Obama’s Justice Department that both determined Brown likely charged toward officer Wilson prior to being shot.
Warren tweeted on the fifth anniversary of the shooting, “5 years ago Michael Brown was murdered by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael was unarmed yet he was shot 6 times. I stand with activists and organizers who continue the fight for justice for Michael. We must confront systemic racism and police violence head on.”
5 years ago Michael Brown was murdered by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael was unarmed yet he was shot 6 times. I stand with activists and organizers who continue the fight for justice for Michael. We must confront systemic racism and police violence head on.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) August 9, 2019
Attkisson was quick to deliver a fact-check on Warren’s tweet, complete with excerpts from the report compiled by Obama’s DOJ. “With respect, this is false — and a persistent misconception. The Obama Justice Dept. ultimately determined Brown was *not* ‘murdered’ and ‘likely did not have his hands up’ when shot. The Obama Justice Dept. declined to charge the officer with anything,” she began.
1. With respect, this is false — and a persistent misconception. The Obama Justice Dept. ultimately determined Brown was *not* “murdered” and “likely did not have his hands up” when shot. The Obama Justice Dept. declined to charge the officer with anything. https://t.co/I7NAzApgHF
— Sharyl Attkisson????️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 10, 2019
Attkisson also noted that the investigation had determined that Brown likely had, as Officer Wilson had claimed, reached into the vehicle to grab him. DNA evidence supported the idea that Brown has physically assaulted Wilson, but not the other way around. (RELATED: They ‘Put Targets On Our Backs’: Houston Police Union President Takes Aim At ‘Talking Heads’ In Media)
3. The Obama Justice Dept. determined that Brown likely *did* reach into the police vehicle and grab the police officer. There was evidence backing that up, while there was no evidence backing the claim that Wilson grabbed Brown. pic.twitter.com/PeMtlGSKZl
— Sharyl Attkisson????️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 10, 2019
5. The Obama Justice Dept. ruled that Brown was apparently charging at the police officer when Brown was shot. pic.twitter.com/KZCcxLCOKw
— Sharyl Attkisson????️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 10, 2019
Attkisson also pointed out that media coverage had facilitated the lie, at least for a time, before picking up on the results of the DOJ investigation.
7. The Washington Post *did* headline the fact that the Obama Justice Dept. determined Brown’s hands were probably not raised, after all. https://t.co/pi5jl02gGb
— Sharyl Attkisson????️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 10, 2019
9. It’s not to say there aren’t issues of racism and/or bad policing, of course there are. But it is inaccurate to use Michael Brown as an example, according to the Obama Justice Dept.
— Sharyl Attkisson????️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 10, 2019
“It’s not to say there aren’t issues of racism and/or bad policing, of course there are. But it is inaccurate to use Michael Brown as an example, according to the Obama Justice Dept,” Attkisson concluded.
Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume joined Attkisson in calling out the Massachusetts senator, adding, “I don’t know which is worse: that she still believes this, or that she knows it’s false and says it anyway.”
I don’t know which is worse: that she still believes this, or that she knows it’s false and says it anyway. And why is the officer’s race an issue? Not even the Obama Justice Dept. concluded there was a murder. https://t.co/Gtkj1nfvxE https://t.co/lVxHAtvRuj
— Brit Hume (@brithume) August 10, 2019
But Warren was not the only 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful to seize on the anniversary of Brown’s death to make political points about police violence or racism.
Michael Brown’s murder forever changed Ferguson and America. His tragic death sparked a desperately needed conversation and a nationwide movement. We must fight for stronger accountability and racial equity in our justice system.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 9, 2019
Five years ago, Michael Brown was shot dead by a police officer. In the years since, we’ve heard too many names, too many similar stories, to count. In each, we are reminded of an idea as urgent, and as ignored, today as it was when Michael was killed: Black Lives Matter.
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 9, 2019
Michael Brown should be alive today. Five years after his death, we must finally end police violence against people of color. pic.twitter.com/EWvLcdyla5
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 9, 2019
5 years ago, a Ferguson police officer killed Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager.
He shot him 6 times.
Nothing will bring Michael back, but we can’t stop fighting the injustice done to his family and so many others—and until we do better, we’re failing them.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 9, 2019
Five years since the tragic death of Michael Brown and we still have significant work to do. We must rebuild trust between police and the communities they have sworn to protect. https://t.co/AMvCosRkIi
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) August 10, 2019
Like Eric Garner, Michael Brown should be here today.
My city knows the pain of Ferguson all too well — and what we’ve learned has fundamentally changed us. There’s more to do and we’ll be at it awhile, but our mission is clear: NO ONE should die due to the color of their skin.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) August 9, 2019
Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker focused his attention on another point of contention: the number of hours it took police to remove Brown’s body from the scene.
5 years ago, Michael Brown was killed by a police officer. His body lay on the street for hours before he was treated with humanity. I have been thinking all day about Mike and his family, and my prayers are with them.
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) August 9, 2019
In spite of the conclusions reached by both the local investigation and the inquiry undertaken by Obama’s Justice Department, Michael Brown Sr. demanded Friday that St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell reopen the investigation.