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St. Louis Police: Black Teen Shot In Altercation With Officers

The chief of the St. Louis County Police says today that a black teenager fatally shot by officers on Saturday was killed during an altercation with authorities.

But as Chief Jon Belmar was speaking at a news conference on Sunday morning, a few hundred angry protesters carrying signs converged on the police station taunting police with chants of "Don't shoot me," according to The Associated Press.

The AP says officers stood at the top of a staircase and stopped the crowd without using force.

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Police have not released the victim's name, but family members have identified him as 18-year-old Michael Brown. The AP, quoting Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson, says the victim was unarmed.

KSDK-TV, St. Louis, reports: "Belmar said the incident started when Brown physically assaulted the police officer, pushing him into the officer's vehicle. He said there was a struggle inside the car, and at some point Brown reached for the officer's weapon. One shot was fired inside the vehicle."

The AP says the struggle then "spilled out into the street where the teenager was shot. ... Shell casings found at the scene matched the officers' gun. Belmar said the teen was shot multiple times, but it wasn't yet known how many.

"It was more than just a couple," he said.

KSDK says:

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"The medical examiner is conducting an investigation to determine how many times Brown was shot. It will take several weeks before toxicology results are available."After the shooting, Belmar said Ferguson Chief Tom Jackson called him and asked the county to take over the investigation."Belmar said when the investigation is complete the findings will be turned over to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. They will determine if charges should be filed."

The St. Louis County NAACP said Saturday that the FBI should get involved "to protect the integrity of the investigation," AP says.

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