Subscribe
NewsOne Featured Video
CLOSE

On Christmas night, one of the two memorials set up for slain teen Michael Brown was destroyed by a driver who many believe ran it over intentionally.

The memorial was set up in the middle of the street where the dead teen lay for four and a half hours after he was shot by former police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014.

SEE ALSO: Michigan Governor Approves Drug Tests For Those On Welfare

Activists immediately took to Twitter to let folks know that Brown’s memorial had been desecrated, and many took to the street to rebuild it, which they did in a few hours, according to Politicus USA.

When the Washington Post got wind of the story, reporter Jose L. DelReal reached out to the Ferguson police department for comment. The Ferguson PD Public Information Officer Timothy Zoll said no crime had been reported in connection to the memorial, and further referred to it as “trash,” reports KMOV in St. Louis.

“I don’t know that a crime has occurred,” Zoll was quoted as saying. “But a pile of trash in the middle of the street? That Washington Post is making a call over this?”

Well.

The next day the City of Ferguson released a statement, saying it had initiated an internal investigation, and Officer Zoll admitted that he misled his superiors (i.e. he lied) when they inquired about the contents of his interview.

Part of the Ferguson Police Department press release reads:

“Upon being confronted with the results of the Ferguson Police Department’s investigation regarding the remarks that were attributed to the Public Information Officer, the officer admitted to Department investigators that he did in fact make the remarks attributed to him, and that he misled his superiors when asked about the contents of the interview. The officer has been placed on unpaid leave, effective immediately, while disciplinary proceedings begin.”

Zoll has now been placed on unpaid leave, effective immediately, while the department evaluates disciplinary action.

By the way, another memorial to Brown, which lay on the side of the road where he was killed, was destroyed by fire in September. Those who have been protesting believe that both memorials were demolished intentionally.

SEE ALSO: Antonio Martin Shot, Killed By Ferguson Police