Peaceful protest to mark Michael Brown’s death turns violent

Belmar believes the shots came from about six different shooters. But after nightfall, tensions escalated with protesters throwing rocks and bottles at officers.

The St. Louis County Police Department says that several objects were thrown at police and some businesses were damaged.

Video from CNN showed the moments as several shots rang out while they were interviewing Ferguson’s interim police chief, Anthony Anderson. The St. Louis Post Dispatch identified Harris and said he was a graduate of the same high school Brown attended. She then returned fire.

The suspect fired on officers again after he became trapped in a fenced-in area, the police chief said, and all four officers fired back.

Two people were shot as protests turned violent in Ferguson late Sunday night, St. Louis County Police said. Protesters briefly fell away before regrouping to confront the line of officers, who ordered them to disperse.

The officers, who have between 6 and 12 years experience on the police force, were all placed on administrative leave while an investigation gets underway. “They weren’t protesters; they were criminals”, he said.

August 2015 marked the one year anniversary of Michael Brown’s killing, which ignited a wave of protests and rallies in Ferguson and in major cities across the country, most of which have been peaceful.

Three police cars were also damaged, police said.

Belmar told reporters that two small groups were engaged in a shooting outside the protest at West Florissant square.

Police claimed the shootings involved people not connected with the protests. Police have described his condition as critical. Shots were heard for 40-50 seconds, Belmar said.

The shooting, in which dozens of rounds were reportedly fired, began near the intersection of Ferguson Avenue and West Florissant Avenue, the epicenter of last summer’s standoffs between protesters and police.

Officials said in an email that the 17-year-old and 19-year-old males told officers they were walking around 2:15 a.m. Monday near the Canfield Apartments when an unknown black man shot at them from the back of a passing vehicle. Mr. Belmar said one police officer was treated for a face injury but didn’t comment on the number of arrests.

Kansas City police arrested four people during a protest marking the anniversary of the police shooting that killed Michael Brown in Ferguson. He is being held on $100,000 bond.

His death at the hands of Darren Wilson sparked outrage and protests nationwide tensions grew over what demonstrators said was racial bias by the police.