The Stream

‘If they gunned me down, what photo would you use?’

African-American community questions US media’s portrayal of unarmed teen killed by police.

After the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by police in the US city of St. Louis, many in the African-American community are asking mainstream media, “If they gunned me down, what photo would you use?” to draw attention to what they call the media’s misrepresentation of black youth.  

Michael Brown, 18, was shot and killed by police Saturday after what authorities say was a “police altercation”. While some media initally showed photos of Brown in a cap and gown from his high school graduation, others are using a photo of him throwing up what some are interpreting as a “gang sign”.