Dr. Faye Belgrave of Virginia Commonwealth University is pretty sure she knows what caused the recent shooting of Michael Brown in Missouri.

Racism.

WRIC News reported.

Psychology Professor Not Surprised After Police Shoot And Kill Teen

After the police shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Missouri, many people wondered if this is yet another case of police brutality.

Dr. Faye Belgrave is a psychology professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Belgrave says it’s not a coincidence that many black men and even adolescents become victims of police brutality.

“They are threatened by black men, and even young adolescents, and once people are threatened, they react to protect themselves,” says Dr. Belgrave.

According to Dr. Belgrave, study after study shows that many people perceive black men as being violent or aggressive. She says this is a belief that’s rooted the country’s history of racism, and many people are unaware of the issue, which she calls implicit racial bias.

“We have to acknowledge that racism exists,” says Dr. Belgrave. “Only if we can acknowledge that we perceive people differently and that we act on that perception, can we move forward.”

Police in Missouri say the 18-year-old was involved in a scuffle with an officer on Saturday. During that scuffle, the officer shot and killed the teen. Police say the officer is a six year veteran. The department is now investigating, and the FBI is also involved.

Riots have since broken out in the area; people have also looted some businesses.

College members of the NAACP in Richmond are on stand-by to go to Missouri to help keep the peace if the local chapter requests their help.

“We understand the emotions that are running now, but in order to get true justice for Mike Brown, we must do non-violent community activism,” says Javonte NcNear, the president for the Virginia Youth and College Division of NAACP.