Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Monday ahead of a grand jury's decision over the killing of an unarmed black teenager.
The panel is deciding whether to indict Officer Darren Wilson over the Aug. death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
BBC reported that according to the St. Louis County prosecutor, with no exact date given, the grand jury is expected to come to its decision by mid-to-late November.
The troops from the state National Guard are set to be deployed around Ferguson, Missouri to provide support to local police in responding to possible protests or disturbances that may develop after the grand jury's verdict.
"The National Guard is well suited to provide security at command posts, fire stations and other locations, freeing up law enforcement officers to focus on community policing and allowing citizens to exercise their constitutional rights," quoted MSN of Nixon who spoke to reporters.
Local authorities in Ferguson as well as other cities across the nation are bracing for possible violence i the wake of the decision. MSN further noted that over the last two days, peaceful demonstrations have been held around St. Louis with some local officials frustrated over the pre-emptive emergency order that will be in effect for 30 days.
"The National Guard is called in when policing has failed. Military presence in my city will mark a historic failure on the part of (government)," said Antonio French, a St. Louis alderman, over Twitter. "This is not a war. There is no military solution."
While stressing the importance of affording everyone's rights to freedom of speech and assembly, the FBI has since issued a warning to law enforcement to prepare as extreme protesters "will likely" react in an escalated manner.
"The announcement of the grand jury's decision ... will likely be exploited by some individuals to justify threats and attacks against law enforcement and critical infrastructure," noted ABC News of the FBI's recent notice in an intelligence bulletin issued in recent days. "This also poses a threat to those civilians engaged in lawful or otherwise constitutionally protected activities."
In a case that has swept the nation, the issue stems from how Brown died. According to some witnesses and Brown's family, Wilson shot and killed Brown as he raised his hands in surrender. However, Police said that there was a struggle between the teenager and the officer prior to the shooting.
This marks the second state of emergency ordered by Nixon in relation to the shooting.
