FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton called the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in suburban St. Louis a “defining moment for this country.”

Sharpton spoke Sunday at a rally in Ferguson, where days of protest have ended with almost nightly confrontations between police and protesters.

Sharpton says he wants Congress to stop programs that provide military-style weaponry to police departments. He says he expects police to “smear” the slain teenager, his family and his attorneys.

He also condemned the recent spate of violence and looting in Ferguson.

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