Ferguson Protests: Officer Darren Wilson Fundraising Appeal Hits $100,000

An online fundraiser for Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who shot teenager Michael Brown, has raised more than $100,000 (£60,000) in just four days.

The GoFundMe page has received donations from more than 2,700 people since it was set up. A statement on the fundraising page said all the proceeds "will be sent directly to Darren Wilson and his family for any financial needs they may have including legal fees".

The page, which took just 19 hours to hit the $10,000 mark, is now looking to raise $150,000 for the officer.

Brown was shot and killed in the Missouri town by Wilson on 9 August. The killing of the unarmed 18-year-old sparked several days of protests in the town.

Ferguson police were heavily criticised for their attempts to control the disorder, including use of tear gas and military equipment, until they were taken "out of the situation" by Missouri governor Jay Nixon and replaced with the National Guard.

Wilson was revealed as the officer who sot Brown after police initially withheld his identification over fears of retaliation.

After the fundraising appeal for Wilson reached $100,000, a statement on the GoFundMe page read: "We have raised our goal for the third time! The generosity of everyone is truly amazing. We want to thank each and every one of you who are standing behind Darren during this time.

"The positive messages, prayers and donations are truly heartwarming. We cannot put into words how thankful we are."

The amount raised by the Wilson fundraising appeal so far eclipses that for a memorial fund for Brown's family, with has raised $114,000 in seven days at the time of publication.

An autopsy ruled Brown was shot six times by officer Wilson, including twice in the head.