Yahoo News released the below photo this morning of Officer Darren Wilson, the man the Ferguson Police Department says is responsible for the murder of Mike Brown a week ago.
The photo was taken from the Facebook page of Officer Wilson’s father.
via Yahoo News:
Yahoo News tried to reach John Wilson by phone late Friday. Tonya Wilson, his wife and the officer’s stepmother, answered and said “we’re not talking to anybody — thank you” before hanging up. A text message seeking the name of Wilson’s attorney wasn’t returned.
Four days ago John Wilson turned to Facebook for support without mentioning his son by name.
“Dear FB friends, Our family is in need for prayers to be sent up for a family member,” John Wilson wrote. “Circumstances do not allow for us to say anything further. Please pray with our family in mind. Put a covering of protection over our family member please.”
A woman who replied in the comment thread told John that she could put him in touch with someone that “has been through many difficult times with his children. Prayers are what brought the family through the rough times. We are just a phone call away.”
John Wilson thanked his many friends who were quick to offer encouragement.
“Please continue to do so as we deal with a family situation that is very challenging,” he wrote.
As you may know, Darren Wilson and his family have fled the area. Here’s what else has been reported about Darren Wilson thus far:
Here’s what has been reported about Wilson so far (via Washington Post):
- Wilson is 28 years old, and his mother died when he was 16. (The Washington Post)
- He was an honor roll student at St. Charles High School near Ferguson in ninth and 10th grade. (The Washington Post)
- He lives in Crestwood, Mo., “a mostly white city of 11,000 people about 18 miles southwest of mostly black Ferguson.” (The Washington Post)
- He is divorced and lives with a fellow police officer, Barbara Spradling. (New York Times)
- Wilson was recognized for “extraordinary effort in the line of duty” in February. “Greg Kloeppel, a lawyer for the union representing Ferguson police officers, confirmed the commendation that Officer Wilson received, but he declined to provide information about what kind of person the officer is or any details about his life.” (New York Times)
- Wilson has been a police officer for six years and has no prior disciplinary record.
- Neighbors say Wilson left town several days ago. (Washington Post)
- Wilson’s friend Jake Shepard told CNN that Wilson has “huge heart” and that if he killed Brown then “at that moment in time, he was scared for his life.” (CNN)
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