The family of Michael Brown have revealed that in the weeks before his death, the slain teenager had a premonition about his killing, and accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour.
Pastor Charles Ewing is Brown's uncle, and shared the intimate details with reporters on Tuesday.
Ewing told the Associated Press that his nephew accepted the Lord about two weeks before he was killed, and then had an eerie dream. Brown allegedly dreamt of a body covered by a white sheet, and told his family that the entire world would one day know his name.
The 18-year-old black male was killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, on August 9 in Ferguson, Missouri. In the subsequent weeks, there has been looting, shootings, protests, and international attention focused on the racially-charged case.
Reverend Al Sharpton told a church full of Ferguson citizens on Sunday that "Michael Brown is going to change this town".
Indeed, the case has led to widespread discussions regarding police-community relations, racism, gun violence, and other issues. Many protesters have used "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" as a rallying cry after it was reported that Brown was in a non-confrontational position– with his arms raised in the air – when he was shot.
Middle Collegiate Church in New York has adopted the gesture as a prayer position.
"Before it ever became in our 21st century context a 'please don't shoot' gesture, this is the way that ancient people of faith prayed," executive minister Rev Adriene Thorne explained to her congregation on Sunday.
"It was a gesture of surrender to God. So we're going to invite you to pray in this ancient prayer position this week, which happens to also be the position that some witnesses say that Michael Brown was in when he was shot."
A grand jury will determine whether charges will be filed against Officer Wilson.
