Darren Wilson says he has a 'clean conscience' because he 'did his job right'
theGRIO REPORT - In his first interview since fatally shooting Michael Brown on August 9, Darren Wilson told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that he had a "clean conscience" over the incident...
In his first interview since fatally shooting Michael Brown on August 9, Darren Wilson told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that he had a “clean conscience” over the incident.
Asked if he could have done anything different that day, Wilson simply said “no.”
Wilson told the Good Morning America anchor that Brown was the aggressor from the very beginning and that he never surrendered with his hands up at any point as some witnesses have claimed.
The altercation started because Brown wouldn’t let him get out of his patrol car, Wilson said.
“I said [to Brown] ‘Hey, come here for a second,'” Wilson said. “And that’s when [Brown] turned around and said ‘What the f*** you gonna do about it?’ and slammed my door shut.”
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Wilson told Stephanopoulos he yelled at Brown to get back but that the teen kept slamming his door shut. Then, Wilson said, Brown hurled punches at him and eventually reached for his firearm.
He said he did not try to pull Brown into his police car as some witnesses have claimed. He also said he felt trapped and was trying to get out of the car but Brown would not let him.
He told Stephanopoulos that he could feel Brown’s “immense power” during the scuffle and described Brown as very “large” and “powerful.”
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Wilson said he fired his weapon while inside his car because he didn’t think he would “survive” Brown repeatedly punching him.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to withstand another hit like that,” Wilson said.
Brown was also reaching for Wilson’s gun, he said. When Wilson fired, he said Brown became “even more aggressive.” Wilson fired again, and Brown ran away.
It was the first time he had ever fired his weapon.
“My job isn’t to just sit and wait,” Wilson said when asked why he didn’t remain in the car. “I have to see where this guy goes.”
Wilson told Stephanopolous he followed Brown but the teen suddenly turned around and reached into his waistband.
Wilson said he “didn’t know” if Brown was armed. Then he said Brown started to come towards him.
“If I don’t [shoot], he will kill me if he gets to me,” Wilson said he thought at the time.
Initially 30 to 40 feet away, Wilson fired a fatal shot which hit Brown in the head. At that point, Brown was “8 to 10 feet” away and Wilson said he thought Brown was going to “tackle him.”
Wilson said he and his wife just want to have a “normal life.”
“The reason I have a clean conscience is because I know I did my job right,” Wilson said.
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