In an ironic turn of events following violent protests against the killing of black teen Michael Brown and the failure to indict the white police officer, a black man was found shot dead in his car on Tuesday, and his body had been set on fire.
The body was found near Canfield Green Apartments in Ferguson in the same complex where Brown met his end on 9 August. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said that the police suspected homicide, and that it was probably linked to the rioting.
The body was discovered inside a sedan near Glen Owen Drive and Windward Court at about 9 am on Tuesday, CBS St Louis reported.
Violence erupted over the Fergsuon shooting verdict late on Monday, in which the jury declined to indict officer Darren Wilson, leading to vandalism and looting, and police said at least 12 buildings were set on fire.
Ferguson resident Richard Taylor reportedly heard four men with guns outside his apartment saying they wanted to kill someone.
"I knew it was going to be true. When I got up this morning, I saw this," Taylor told St Louis Post Dispatch.
The St Louis County Police Department said in its statement, "At approximately 9 a.m. today, a citizen reported that an unresponsive man was inside a parked vehicle at that location. Responding officers discovered a deceased male inside the vehicle..... This incident is currently being classified as a suspicious death and will remain so until evidence allows a different classification".
The St Louis police arrested more than 80 people since rioting broke out, in which hundreds of gunshots were fired and vehicles were set ablaze.
