ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Political leaders in Missouri are urging people to stay calm after the decision of a grand jury is announced tonight. That decision is whether to indict Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown. State and local leaders gathered earlier this evening for a news conference.
The mayor of St. Louis, Francis Slay, was among those who spoke. He acknowledged the case has led to deep divisions, but Slay said violence would not be tolerated.
(SOUNDBITE OF PRESS CONFERENCE)
MAYOR FRANCIS SLAY: The world will be watching us. They're going to watch how we handle our disagreements in the coming days and how we make needed change in the coming months and years. St. Louis finds itself with an opportunity to show a nation the ways in which a community can be more fair and more just for everyone. We must seize this opportunity for everyone.
SHAPIRO: The grand jury announcement is set for eight Central Time, nine Eastern. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.