Despite several days of protests that have turned Ferguson, Missouri, into a "war zone," the town's police department said Tuesday it would not release the name of the officer who shot to death an unarmed black teen.
The Ferguson Police Department initially said it would release the name of the officer who on Saturday killed 18-year-old Michael Brown. But citing death threats and the risk that the officer would be targeted by outraged protesters, the department changed its mind.
"The value of releasing the name is far outweighed by the risk of harm to the officer and his family," Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said.
The police claim Brown engaged in a physical struggle with the officer, resulting in the shooting. A friend who was walking with Brown claims Brown had his hands over his head and was non-confrontational when he was shot.