MOSCOW, September 25 (RIA Novosti) - Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson apologized Thursday to the parents of Michael Brown, an African-American teenager who was shot dead last month by a police officer in the Missouri town.
"I'm truly sorry for the loss of your son. I'm also sorry that it took so long to remove Michael from the street," the police chief said during his statement as quoted by CNN.
Jackson also apologized to demonstrators who feel he did not do "enough to protect their constitutional right to protest."
Unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson on August 9. An inquiry into the shooting hinges on whether Wilson, 28, fired in self-defense.
The incident triggered a wave of angry protests in Ferguson and all across the country. Police were criticized for using military-grade gear and heavy-handed tactics to quell the protesters in Ferguson after Brown's killing.
On September 4, Attorney General Eric Holder announced a sweeping federal civil rights investigation into Ferguson Police Department. The probe is expected to determine whether officers in Ferguson abused the power or violated the human rights.
