Riots in Ferguson have resulted in the incineration of dozens of local businesses in Ferguson; the church that held Brown's funeral service was burned down after the court decision was made on Monday. Yet a few individuals braved the frenzy and protected a local Conoco gas station.
According to both Reuters and The Free Thought Project, four African American men guarded a local Conoco gas station and convenience store. They were armed with pistols and AR-15 rifles. The group turned away several groups of teenagers attempting to loot the store and kept the property safe amid the chaos.
Doug Merello, the owner of the gas station, is white. According to the reports, the group guarding the gas station voluntarily stood outside the gas station all of Tuesday night; none of them were being paid to be there.
"We would have been burned to the ground many times over if it weren't for them," said Merello.
The group of four, as well as other black members of the community, allowed for the Conoco gas station to stay open during the riot. In the past, Merello employed many of those who protected his store.
"He's a nice dude, he's helped us a lot," a member of the group, named R.J., told Reuters.
During the riot, the National Guard mistook the armed group for a group of looters. One of the men was handcuffed before Merello came out of his store to explain that the men were guarding the store.
According to the Free Thought Project, this is not the first occurrence of Ferguson residents protecting local businesses. In the riots back in August, protesters as well as residents defended local businesses after local law enforcement were told to withdraw officers from the riot areas.
