Here's my step-by-step speculation on how it went down.

[GliderGuider]

My suspicion is that this is an instance of roid rage or something like it.

• Wilson sees Brown and Johnson walking in the street and gets a little pissed off.
  
• As he drives by he orders them back onto the sidewalk, using profanity.
  
• Brown mouths off in response to the tone of the order.
  
• Wilson hears that and gets even more angry.
  
• He throws the truck into reverse and races backwards toward the pair.
  
• When the truck stops beside them, a now enraged Wilson throws the the door open with extreme force.
  
• It hits Brown, bounces back and smacks Wilson on the side of the head.
  
• The sudden pain triggers Wilson and all his residual self-restraint evaporates.
  
• He grabs Brown through the open window.
  
• Brown pulls free and starts to run away.
  
• Wilson jumps out into the street, aims at the running Brown, fires and misses.
  
• Brown hears the shot and realizes the danger he's in.
  
• He stops running suddenly (i.e. with a jerk), turns and raises his hands.
  
• Wilson is now fully in the grips of the adrenaline rage.
  
• Wilson aims for the head of the now-stationary Brown (the shot cluster tells us this) and continues firing until he goes down.
  
• The shot in the crown of the head was probably the result of Brown falling forward as a result of the earlier shots.

It looks like a "vengeance execution" fueled by Wilson's steroid use and compounded by a massive adrenaline rush that was triggered by the pain of being hit in the head by the door.

Wilson got hit in the head by the door and then aimed for Brown's head as retribution.

JMHO.

[Recursion]

1. I was just thinking that this situation needs more speculation... (nt)

[Travis_0004]

2. my thougts exactly

Also have there been any reports on steroids? Or is that just more speculation by the OP?

[GliderGuider]

6. The only thing I'm speculating about is Wilson's state of mind and a possible reason for it.

Beyond that, it's based on eyewitness reports, the police report of a contusion on the side of Wilson's head, and the autopsy diagram.

[tblue37]

16. That is the same sequence I have been imagining from the start of

this flustercluck. The only difference is that I considered steroids to be a possible factor, but perhaps felt less certain of it than you seem to.

[GliderGuider]

17. Steroids or speed are good candidates

Something drastically reduced Wilson's self-control and contributed to the rapid onset of an over-the-top rage response. At this point the main reason I favor steroids is that they are more commonly used by LEOs than speed. I'm open to other suggestions for any other factor that could have made him trigger (in both senses of the word) like that.

[tblue37]

18. Oh, I agree, and I did think steroids might have been a factor in the cop's

over-the-top response. I also suspect steroids are a factor in many police brutality cases. My point was not that I don't agree that they were quite possibly involved, but only that my suspicions were perhaps a bit more tentative than yours.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

8. So you figure we should just not talk about it? nt

[Recursion]

9. Am I stopping anybody from talking about it?

I just wanted to throw that out there.

[rock]

11. Agreed. You didn't even need the SARCASM marker

I list the forms of evidence from worst to best as:
- Speculation;
- Anecdotal;
- Expert testimony;
- Forensic.

[JimDandy]

13. Had to laugh at that. Seriously though,

speculating can be a useful exercise.

[Hoyt]

3. It's time this goes to a jury.

[GliderGuider]

4. About half past time for that, IMO. nt

[jwirr]

5. And having listened to the witnesses this fits their stories.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

7. That's a close as I think we're going to get without a final report. nt

[NYC_SKP]

10. I think you pretty much nailed it, given the evidence we have so far.

Cops need lessons on the constitution, they need to be reminded that citizens have rights, that cops don't own the streets, and if they can't defuse a situation then then need to leave the force.

Zero tolerance if they can't control their power tripping.

[VanGoghRocks]

12. Do we know yet whether Wilson was using steroids or other mood-altering

substances?

Reading your account made me flash to the case of military doctor Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, who murdered his wife and two kids. Joe McGinniss in Fatal Vision speculates that MacDonald may have been under the influence of speed at the time of the murders, one of whose side effects is these sudden outbursts of homicidal rage.

[GliderGuider]

14. No, not yet.

We may never know for sure, because the FPD gave him plenty of time for a wash-out. But IMO it fits the known facts too well not to be a strong candidate - either steroids or speed.

[Warpy]

15. Kind of looks that way to me, too

The Federal ME described the arm wounds as typical defensive wounds.

Wilson lost it and murdered a kid. He needs to be busted back to civilian and prevented from owning a firearm for the rest of his life even if he never sees a trial for manslaughter, at the very least.

[randome]

19. If either Brown or Wilson was hit by the car door, Forensics should be able to determine that.

Of course maybe too much time has gone by since then.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[GliderGuider]

20. Too much time has passed for sure.

It occurred to me because it fits the police statement about a contusion on Wilson's face, and also helps to explain his subsequent over-reaction.

[logosoco]

21. This is almost precisely the same speculation I have done!

I think this is why they are not releasing any official reports. Don't know why they are letting their town fall apart just to cover for one cop.

Based on what I have seen in photos, the street was not even a thoroughfare, it was a road into an apartment complex, so the young guys were not even blocking traffic really.

The "missed shot" (and i think i read where police removed a bullet from a building) could have easily hurt a bystander. That would have been a terrible shame, considering the cop was not actually stopping any crime when he pulled his weapon.

They have implied that Brown was being aggressive and hit the cop. They need to show the evidence of this (and I would be doubtful because they have waited too long). I have thought from the beginning that the injuries they say the cop had would be consistent with being hit by the door. I wish they would release this information!

Interesting things to think about and speculating is good brain exercise. Doesn't mean right or wrong, just shows people are thinking!