You and everyone else are missing the point here. As far as Michael Brown was concerned he was a thug participating in a thug lifestyle. Regardless of whether or not he was near said store, what he stole, or what he did he was leading a lifestyle that eventually would end with him in jail or shot. It just happened sooner than later. I am not saying whether or not what happened was justified at the time, but eventually what happened was going to happen. When you play thug games your life will end as all thug lives do, in jail or dead! In my opinion both parties were guilty here. The cop for unnecessary use of force, but if kids had manners and discipline these days Michael Brown might not have smarted off to the police officer to begin with which is what started the confrontation. One of my favorite quotes from Forest Gump fits here: "Stupid is as stupid does." One can't expect to live a lifestyle like this and not have any repercussions.