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Ferguson police shot during protest | Ferguson police shot during protest |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two police officers have been shot in Ferguson, a Missouri town hit by riots over the killing of an unarmed black teenager last year. | Two police officers have been shot in Ferguson, a Missouri town hit by riots over the killing of an unarmed black teenager last year. |
One officer was shot in the face and one in the shoulder, St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said. | One officer was shot in the face and one in the shoulder, St Louis County police chief Jon Belmar said. |
Both suffered "very serious gunshot injuries" but were conscious, he said. | Both suffered "very serious gunshot injuries" but were conscious, he said. |
They were shot during a demonstration after the resignation of Ferguson's police chief, which followed a report alleging racial bias in his department. | |
Protesters had gathered outside Ferguson police headquarters late on Wednesday, in what was initially a relatively low-key demonstration. | Protesters had gathered outside Ferguson police headquarters late on Wednesday, in what was initially a relatively low-key demonstration. |
But shortly after midnight at least three shots were fired as the crowd of protesters was starting to break up, Mr Belmar said. | But shortly after midnight at least three shots were fired as the crowd of protesters was starting to break up, Mr Belmar said. |
He said he was assuming that "these shots were directed exactly at my police officers", rather than the officers being hit by stray bullets. | He said he was assuming that "these shots were directed exactly at my police officers", rather than the officers being hit by stray bullets. |
One protester, Keith Rose, said he saw an officer "covered in blood", and that other officers were carrying and dragging him, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. | One protester, Keith Rose, said he saw an officer "covered in blood", and that other officers were carrying and dragging him, leaving a trail of blood on the ground. |
Police were keeping protesters in the area in order to take witness statements, he said. | Police were keeping protesters in the area in order to take witness statements, he said. |
Demonstrators were calling for further action to be taken over the federal report, and for more resignations in the police department, Mr Rose said. | Demonstrators were calling for further action to be taken over the federal report, and for more resignations in the police department, Mr Rose said. |
Police chief Thomas Jackson was the sixth Ferguson official to be fired or step down. He had initially resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to resign. | Police chief Thomas Jackson was the sixth Ferguson official to be fired or step down. He had initially resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to resign. |
Ferguson's police department was widely criticised after the shooting of Michael Brown in August and the weeks of demonstrations that followed. | Ferguson's police department was widely criticised after the shooting of Michael Brown in August and the weeks of demonstrations that followed. |
In November, a St Louis County grand jury and the US Justice Department found that Officer Darren Wilson did not break any laws when he shot Brown. | In November, a St Louis County grand jury and the US Justice Department found that Officer Darren Wilson did not break any laws when he shot Brown. |
However, Brown's shooting and the riots that followed spurred a federal investigation, which found overwhelming racial bias in the town's policing practices. | However, Brown's shooting and the riots that followed spurred a federal investigation, which found overwhelming racial bias in the town's policing practices. |
The report noted public officials regularly made tickets and other minor violations "go away" for white friends, while some black residents spent nights in jail for non-payment of fines. | |
It also found that black residents were disproportionately subjected to baseless traffic stops and citations for minor infractions such as walking down the middle of the street. | |
Ferguson's police force had three black officers, despite the fact that the town of 21,000 people was predominately black. | |
US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the federal government will "use all power that we have to change the situation". | US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the federal government will "use all power that we have to change the situation". |
That could include dissolving the police force and turning over law enforcement responsibilities to neighbouring agencies. | That could include dissolving the police force and turning over law enforcement responsibilities to neighbouring agencies. |