Activist Darren Seals Found Dead In Burning Car

A well known activist during the Ferguson protests was found shot inside a burning car near St. Louis. Police discovered the body of 29-year-old Darren Seals after responding to reports of the fire.

A homicide investigation was underway Wednesday in St. Louis County into the fatal shooting of Ferguson activist Darren Seals, whose body was found in a burning car.

County police spokesman Officer Benjamin Granda said the department's arson unit was called to assist the City of Riverview with a vehicle fire Tuesday morning. When the fire was extinguished, the body of Seals, 29, was found inside. Seals had suffered a gunshot wound, Granda said.

"We are working with potential witnesses and doing everything we can, the same as we do in every case," Granda said, adding that police had no suspects. "We need the community's help on this."

Seals, a St. Louis resident, was a leader of the protest movement prompted by the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014. Seals was with Lezley McSpadden, Brown's mother, when prosecutors announced in November of that year that a grand jury had declined to indict Wilson in Brown's death.

"(Seals) was a young man who cared deeply and passionately about his community,” said local attorney and political analyst Lizz Brown. “Whether he was paying for Christmas gifts for the kids in the neighborhood or organizing young people. He will be missed."