Missouri Governor Jay Nixon ordered the National Guard on Monday to help restore peace to the St Louis suburb of Ferguson, hours after police fired tear gas to disperse people protesting against the shooting of a black teenager by an officer, according to The Associated Press.
"Tonight, a day of hope, prayers and peaceful protests was marred by the violent criminal acts of an organized and growing number of individuals," Nixon said in a statement on his website, the AP reported. As a result, Nixon said, he was directing the National Guard to help "in restoring peace and order to this community."
"These violent acts are a disservice to the family of Michael Brown and his memory and to the people of this community who yearn for justice to be served and to feel safe in their own homes," Nixon said in a statement, according to the AP.
The latest confrontations came on the same day that Attorney General Eric Holder ordered a federal medical examiner to perform another autopsy on Brown, and as a preliminary private autopsy reported by The New York Times found that Brown was shot at least six times, including twice in the head, the AP reported.
"Based on the conditions, I had no alternative but to elevate the level of response," said Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, who is command in Ferguson, according to the AP. At least two people were wounded in shootings, he said.
Sunday's clashes in Ferguson erupted three hours before the curfew imposed by Nixon, the AP reported.
Officers in riot gear ordered all the protesters to disperse, and many did, but about 100 stood about two blocks away until getting hit by another volley of tear gas, according to the AP.
Protesters laid a line of cinder blocks across the street in an apparent attempt to block police vehicles, which easily plowed through, the AP reported. Someone set a trash bin on fire, and the crackle of gunfire could be heard from several blocks away.
Within two hours, most people had been cleared off West Florissant Avenue, one of the community's main thoroughfares, according to the AP. The streets remained quiet as the curfew began. It was to remain in effect until 5 a.m.
