Outrage over the death of an unarmed black teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer erupted once again late Friday in Ferguson, Missouri, after just more than a day of relative calm.
Friday night's violence started when protesters in the St. Louis suburb broke into the same convenience store that Michael Brown was accused of robbing before he was killed Aug. 9.
The incidents seemed to gather steam after that, with protesters looting and vandalizing several more businesses in the surrounding area early Saturday morning. (Video via KSDK)
St. Louis County Police confirmed to KTVI a nearby Domino's Pizza had been set on fire, and multiple other buildings had been vandalized and looted.
STORE OWNER TO KMOV: "I've been a resident of Ferguson for 25 years. We don't need this type of thing going on in Ferguson. They just went in and out at will in front of the police."
Tweets from witnesses claimed police in riot gear used tear gas during the uproar. Missouri Highway Patrol later confirmed one canister was deployed after the crowd of protesters became unruly.
The renewed violence seems to be the result of an explosive day of news in the St. Louis suburb.
At the same press conference where police named the officer responsible for shooting 18-year-old Brown, they also, without prior warning, released surveillance video of what they say shows the teen stealing a box of cigars from the convenience store then assaulting a clerk on his way out. (Videos via PBS, CNN / Ferguson Police Department)
But in a second news conference, The Washington Post points out the police chief seemed to contradict himself, saying the confrontation was "not related to the robbery." He said instead Brown was stopped by police because he and a friend were walking in the street.
The confusion infuriated both protestors and Brown's family, who claims the police are trying to smear the teen's name and justify his "brutal assassination."
A lawyer for the family said in a statement, "There is nothing based on the facts that have been placed before us that can justify the execution style murder of their child..."
One officer was reportedly injured in Saturday morning's violence by a brick or rock. Police say there was also at least one shooting victim who was rushed to a nearby hospital, but there are no official reports of any arrests.
