Ferguson Police Shot Amonderez Green, His Father, Jermell Simpson, Says

Amonderez Green’s father, Jermell Simpson, said he does not believe his son shot himself Wednesday. Instead, he claims that Ferguson, Missouri, police officers were the ones who fired at Green.

"It was Ferguson," he said, according to a video posted by Instagram user kingdseals. "When he start running, Ferguson start shooting."

Green reportedly died from his wounds Thursday in Missouri. The story went viral after video of the incident surfaced online. It seemed like Ferguson police officers shot an unarmed suspect, which echoed the high-profile case of Michael Brown, the unarmed Africa- American teenager who was shot and killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson Aug. 9, 2014, setting off massive protests across the country against police use-of-force.

But the nearby Normandy Police Department reported the subject’s wounds were “self-inflicted” in a press release Thursday. Reporters like KSDK producer Rob Edwards shared the press release on Twitter.

Green was described as suicidal. “Numerous attempts were made to communicate with the suspect as he walked on Bermuda Avenue by Officers of the Ferguson and Normandy Police Departments,” the statement read. “It should be noted that the suspect’s mother, mother’s boyfriend and father were present for parts of this incident.”

The police department said officers fired shots at Green only after he opened fired on them and a Taser was ineffective. But it wasn’t one of their bullets that wounded him.

Officers lost track of him during the pursuit and heard one last gunshot. “Responding to the area, they discovered the suspect down in the front yard suffering from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound located under the chin. The suspect was conveyed to a local hospital for treatment," the statement read.

The officer who shot at Green has not yet been identified. The case has been transferred from the Normandy Police Department to the St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons.

Police have asked for witness accounts. "Again, these are the facts surrounding this investigation that are available at this time,” the statement said. “Anyone with information or who may have witnessed this incident is encouraged to contact St. Louis County Police Detectives.”

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