Ferguson Protests Turn Violent Again

Protests in Ferguson, Mo., turned violent again last night after Thursday's relative calm. The shift happened about midnight, when protesters stormed into the convenience store that Michael Brown—the teen whose fatal shooting at the hands of police has set off the unrest—was accused of robbing. Some in the crowd began throwing rocks and other objects at police, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson. One officer was hurt, though details were not available. Johnson said police backed off to try and ease the tension. "We had to evaluate the security of the officers there and also the rioters," Johnson said. "We just felt it was better to move back." No arrests were made.

Meanwhile, peaceful protesters yelled at the aggressors to stop what they were doing. Several even lined up in front of the convenience store to help protect it, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The looting, however, spread to at least a few other stores. The unrest was the first trouble since the Missouri Highway Patrol took over from the Ferguson Police Department. It came after police identified the officer who shot the unarmed Brown and also accused the teen of robbing cigars from the convenience store just before the shooting. (More Ferguson, Missouri stories.)