Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has activated the Missouri National Guard, declaring a state of emergency as state and local officials prepare for fallout from Ferguson.
Nixon declared the state of emergency in an executive order Monday. A grand jury is expected to decide whether to charge Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed unarmed teen Michael Brown in August, by the end of the month.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, the St. Louis County Police Department and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department will also be prepped and ready to go based on the grand jury decision “to protect civil rights and ensure public safety in the City of Ferguson and the St. Louis region,” according to a statement from Nixon’s office.
The state of emergency declaration will expire on Dec. 17.
