A woman claiming to be a friend of Darren Wilson is speaking out to say that Michael Brown “bum rushed” the officer before he was fatally shot.
The woman, going by the name “Josie,” gave Wilson’s side in a radio interview on Friday with Dana Loesch at KTFK.
CNN and other mainstream outlets picked up the story on Monday after verifying that Josie’s claims match what Wilson told Ferguson police happened before the shooting. Loesch noted on Friday that Josie’s rendition had not been verified.
Josie said that Wilson confronted Brown and his friend, Dorian Johnson, who were walking in the middle of the street last Saturday. The two allegedly verbally rebuked Wilson, who continued driving.
“And then he got a call-in that there was a strong-arm robbery,” Josie said.
“And, they gave a description. And, he’s looking at them and they got something in their hands and it looks like it could be what, you know those cigars or whatever.”
Brown was named the prime suspect in what was characterized as a strong-arm robbery that took place moments before Wilson encountered them. Brown also allegedly shoved the clerk at the store.
“So he goes in reverse back to them. Tries to get out of his car. They slam his door shut violently. I think he said Michael did. And, then he opened the car again. He tried to get out. He stands up,” Josie said.
“And then Michael just bum-rushes him and shoves him back into his car. Punches him in the face and them Darren grabs for his gun. Michael grabbed for the gun. At one point he got the gun entirely turned against his hip. And he shoves it away. And the gun goes off.”
“Well, then Michael takes off and gets to be about 35 feet away. And, Darren’s first protocol is to pursue. So, he stands up and yells, “Freeze!” Michael and his friend turn around. And Michael taunts him,” said Josie, who is friends with Wilson’s girlfriend, who is a police officer at an area police department.
Both Wilson and his girlfriend have won accolades at their respective police departments. Ferguson police chief Tom Jackson has said that Wilson, a six-year veteran, had no disciplinary record and was a good officer.
“And then all the sudden he just started bumrushing him,” Josie relayed.
“He just started coming at him full speed. And, so he just started shooting. And, he just kept coming. And, so he really thinks he was on something.”
Brown’s position when Wilson shot him is unclear. Brown’s family and witnesses claim that Brown was surrendering with his hands up as Wilson shot him. One witness claimed that Brown fell to his knees as he surrendered. Other witnesses did not mention whether he went to his knees. (RELATED: Medical Examiner: Bullet Moved From Back To Front Of Brown’s Head)
A private autopsy commissioned by the Brown family released Monday did not clear up whether Brown was moving towards Wilson.
One eyewitness to the shooting was overheard on video relaying what he saw shortly after the incident, saying that he saw Brown turn towards Wilson and begin moving or running towards him.
Brown could have been coming towards Wilson or standing still while surrendering, the Brown family’s medical examiners determined. They said that Brown was likely bending over, as he was shot in the top of the head while the bullet was moving from back to front. Five of the six shots hit him in the front of the body, contrary to some claims that he was shot in the back.
Another shot hit Brown in the middle of the arm. Examiners said that the wound was consistent with witnesses’ statements that Brown jerked while running from Wilson.
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