Unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot at least six times, four times in the right arm and twice in the head, with all bullets hitting the front of the 18-year-old, according to a private autopsy report for the family first obtained by The New York Times and released late Sunday.
{mosads}No gunpowder was found on the teenager’s body, suggesting he was not shot from a close range. That opinion could change if gunshot residue is found on the teenager’s clothing, according to former New York City chief medical examiner Michael M. Baden, who flew to Missouri on Sunday to conduct the autopsy at the request of Brown’s family.
An initial autopsy conducted by St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s office and released last week said Brown died from “gunshot wounds” but didn’t specify how many.
On Sunday, Attorney General Eric Holder ordered an additional autopsy by a federal medical examiner “due to the extraordinary circumstances involved in this case and at the request of the Brown family,” according to a statement.
“Federal investigators will still take account of state-performed autopsy in conducting [their] civil rights investigation,” Justice Department spokesman Brian Fallon said.
Protests have roiled the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson since Brown was shot to death by police Aug. 9. Conflict escalated Saturday night, the first night a curfew went into effect. Gov. Jay Nixon (D-Mo.) deployed the National Guard early Monday morning.