Contact: Laura Barrett, Gamaliel, 314-443-5915

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 9, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Statement of Laura Barrett, Metropolitan Congregations United member and Gamaliel campaign director:

As a St. Louis city-based group, we in Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU) applaud demonstrators in St. Louis city last night who showed their pain and registered their outrage without devastating looting or violence. We understand their anger in response to yet another young African-American man shot by police, and hope it will be channeled into productive steps that help make communities safer and government officials more accountable. We express our condolences to all parties involved, but especially to the family of the young man who was slain.

Even when fired upon, police officers must use sound judgment.

Ironically, last night's shooting happened in the only one of the St. Louis area's dozens of municipalities that has taken the quickest and best steps in the wake of Michael Brown's shooting - the City of St. Louis, which has reformed excessive fines that disproportionately hurt low income people and people of color.

See the Editorial as published in Madison.com: St. Louis leads post-Ferguson: Amnesty is the answer (host.madison.com/special-section/ferguson/editorial-st-louis-leads-post-ferguson-amnesty-is-the-answer/article_883cc875-5274-5883-80bf-abdc49693e39.html)

We've said from the outset that these systemic injustices that plague Ferguson are not limited to Ferguson. Last night's incident confirms this.

St. Louis city and surrounding municipalities must work together to better reform an archaic, unjust system of debtor's prison and institute appropriate community policing procedures that will help police/citizen relationships and help make our area a model for the nation.

See our petition at www.gamaliel.org.