ST. LOUIS (AP) - An annual charity boxing and mixed martial arts event that pits police officers against firefighters to raise money for fallen first responders has been postponed amid concerns of further Ferguson unrest.
The nonprofit Backstoppers organization is postponing its 28th annual Guns "N Hoses event, which was scheduled for Nov. 26, the night before Thanksgiving. The 2013 charity bouts drew about 17,000 people to the downtown Scottrade Center.
Ron Battelle, the charity's executive director, said some participants have been unable to properly train because they've been too busy helping respond to the frequent protests since the early August shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson. They're also preparing for further unrest that could follow a grand jury decision on whether to indict Wilson on criminal charges. That decision is expected to be made public later this month.
"To hold the event at this time could serve as distraction to the service of our first responders," said Battelle, a former chief of the St. Louis County Police Department. "The decision to postpone was made by the organization after much thought and deliberation. It takes into account the recently increased hours of first responders who attend the event."
There also were worries that a large gathering of police officers could become a magnet for demonstrations and potential clashes.
This year's president of the organization is St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch, whose refusal to recuse himself from the Brown investigation has made him the subject of criticism.