ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Details from the official autopsy of Michael Brown lend credence to reports from witnesses and from police officer Darren Wilson that a struggle occurred inside Wilson's patrol car.

Most of the details from the autopsy, conducted by St. Louis County Medical Examiner investigator Wendell Payne and pathologist Gershom Norfleet, matched those from the private autopsy conducted at the behest of Brown's family.


Brown had gunshot wounds from six bullets: in the top of the head, above his right eye, his upper right chest, the right side of the chest, his upper right arm, lower right arm, and graze wounds on his right bicep and one on his right thumb. The report also found Brown had THC, the chemical compound found in marijuana, in his blood and urine.

The shot to the top of the head, which indicated Brown was either lunging or falling forward, was instantly fatal.

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The thumb injury, which does not show stippling but did show signs of gunpowder residue or smoke, shows a bullet traveled from the tip of Brown's right thumb up towards his wrist, from close range.

The injury to his forearm, which traveled from the outer forearm to the inner forearm could not have occurred when -- or if -- Brown had his hands up in a surrender position, as witness reports have described.

That injury, along with forensic findings of Brown's blood on the gun and inside Wilson's car, appear to align with Wilson's account of the moments before Brown died.

Wilson reportedly told investigators Brown pushed him back inside his vehicle as he attempted to exit, pinning him down and attempting to reach Wilson's gun.

A number of eyewitnesses say they saw a struggle, but believe Wilson had grabbed Brown and Brown was trying to get away.

Michael Brown official autopsy

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