ST. LOUIS • Edward Crawford, the man featured in a Ferguson protest photograph throwing a tear gas canister back toward police, was found dead late Thursday, his father said. Police say it appears the death was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Crawford’s father, Edward Sr., confirmed his son’s death to the Post-Dispatch. He said his son’s mother called him and they went together to the morgue early Friday to identify their son’s body. Crawford Sr. was in tears Friday as he spoke with a reporter.

The medical examiner’s office says the death of Edward S. Crawford Jr. was reported as a suicide at 11:46 p.m. Thursday. However, the official cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy. The shooting was in the 1400 block of Salisbury Street, in the Hyde Park neighborhood of St. Louis.

Crawford lived in the 7000 block of Dover Court in University City.

According to a police summary, Crawford was in the back seat of a car heading east on Salisbury, approaching Blair Avenue near Hyde Park. Two women were in the car with him.