US police name Darren Wilson as officer who shot dead black teen in Missouri

Following days of intense public pressure, police in the US state of Missouri have released the name of the white police officer who shot and killed an unarmed Africa-American teenager last week.

On Saturday, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot multiple times and killed by police in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson. Since then, protests over the fatal shooting have been held in the predominantly black town every night. On Thursday, demonstrations against the fatal shooting were held across the United States.

On Friday, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said the officer’s name is Darren Wilson. Jackson said the officer has been placed on leave following the shooting, adding that he has been on the force for six years.

Jackson had described Wilson as a “fantastic officer”.

Civil rights activities and protesters have been demanding the release of the officer’s name as part of an effort to ensure a transparent and unbiased investigation into the death of the teenager. Police had been refusing to release the name, citing concerns over the safety of the shooter.

On Thursday, US President Barack Obama called for “peace and calm” and urged police to respect protesters. He also demanded an investigation into the killing.

“Now is the time for peace and calm on the streets of Ferguson,” he stated. “Now is the time for an open and transparent process to see that justice is done.”

“When something like this happens, the local authorities, including the police, have a responsibility to be open and transparent about how they are investigating that death and how they are protecting the people in their communities,” Obama said.

“Police should not be bullying or arresting journalists who are just trying to do their jobs and report to the American people on what they see on the ground,” he added, referring to the capture of two reporters in Ferguson on Wednesday night by police.