In the hours leading up to the midnight curfew in Ferguson, Mo., police in riot gear and military equipment fired tear gas and smoke projectiles into a large crowd of protesters, still angered over the killing of teenager Michael Brown by a local police officer.
Interrupting what had been a mostly calm day of protester activity and church serices, tensions in the area began to rise around 8:30 p.m. local time as bystanders milled in the streets as police looked on, according to various reports from people on the ground in Ferguson reporting via social media.
Around that time, the St. Louis Police Department sent out a Twitter message reporting that shots had been fired, and shortly thereafter confirmed that there was at least one shooting victim.
We are receiving multiple calls for shots fired in the area of W. Florissant and Canfield. Please watch your surroundings and be safe.— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) August 18, 2014
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Not long after those messages, the same police Twitter feed reported that Molotov cocktails had been thrown. Additional reports from bystanders broadcast on NBC News indicated that some were also throwing rocks at the police.
Molotov cocktails being thrown at police. Tactical units on scene. Please leave the area!— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) August 18, 2014
And at about the same time, someone threw stones through the plate-glass windows of the local McDonalds on West Florissant Street, near the epicenter of the past week of protests.
Soon after, police fired tear gas into crowd. Video feeds showed the police, equipped in riot gear, advancing on the crowd. An 8-year-old boy was reportedly hit by tear gas.
So much gas. Police advancing in vehicles. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/4fSFZc3lhW— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) August 18, 2014
From earlier, the eight-year-old hit with tear gas #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/DPiiyXuK4C— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
Now this is happening in front of me. Just picked up man and put in police vehicle. He's struggling. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/xobJZjEwS4— Blayne Alexander (@ReporterBlayne) August 18, 2014
Right now in #Ferguson https://t.co/FNXwoUbkWF— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 18, 2014
tear gas was fired near media staging area, can't confirm why.. #ferguson pic.twitter.com/Tp4zUPl2cO— Christina Coleman (@ChristinaKSDK) August 18, 2014
UPDATE, Aug. 17, 10:53 p.m. ET: Nearly an hour after the first reports of shots fired, the St. Louis Police Department reported that additional shots had been fired.
Reports of shots fired at W. Florissant and Solway. Please leave the area immediately!— St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) August 18, 2014
Additional reports from bystanders revealed that the local McDonald's had been looted.
They just looted the McDonalds by me! #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/wg6H1nTA1Y— The Tech CEO (@TheTechCEO) August 18, 2014
UPDATE, Aug. 18, 1:18 a.m. ET: Roughly 15 minutes after the start of the curfew, with unconfirmed reports of gunfire in several locations and a small number of people still on the streets, the St. Louis Police Department reportedly announced plans to hold a press briefing.
A live stream of the press conference is being provided by the "I am Mike Brown Live" video stream from KARG Argus Radio.
Preparing for a briefing from authorities. #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/xIwW6X5Wi3— Michael Calhoun (@michaelcalhoun) August 18, 2014
UPDATE, Aug. 18, 2:22 a.m. ET: As promised, Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson addressed the press at around 1:15 a.m. local time.
Describing the situation leading up to the use of tear gas on the protesters, Capt. Johnson laid out a timeline of the evening's events.
"There were shootings, looting and other acts of violence that clearly appear not to have been spontaneous, but premeditated," said Capt. Johnson.
Calling the actions by some of the people on the streets "preplanned agitation," Capt. Johnson said, "we had to act to protect lives and property."
According to Capt. Johnson, the timeline leading to the use of tear gas was as follows:
8:25 p.m.: A shooting occurred in the area. Soon after, shots were fired at officers, and Molotov cocktails were also thrown at officers.
8:26 p.m.: More shots fired (no details on the circumstances).
8:27 p.m.: Report of a subject down from gunfire.
8:28 p.m.: Report of eight people seen with guns. Tactical team dispatched.
9:20 p.m.: McDonald's overrun and employees locked themselves in the storage room.
"Based on these conditions," said Capt. Johnson, "I had no alternative but to elevate our response." Capt. Johnson also confirmed that no officers had been injured.
After taking a few questions, Capt. Johnson abruptly ended the press conference.
Governor Jay Nixon has also issued an executive order to bring the National Guard to Ferguson to deal with the situation.
"I am directing the highly capable men and women of the Missouri National Guard to assist Colonel Ron Replogle and the Unified Command in restoring peace and order to this community," said Nixon in a statement on his website.
As of this writing, the situation in Ferguson, Mo. appears to be calm. However, in the wake of new revelations contained in Michael Brown's autopsy report revealed on Sunday, as well as the use of tear gas on protesters and news that the National Guard is headed to the area, authorities may find it difficult to maintain the current state of calm when protesters return to the streets on Monday.