Heavy gunfire erupts after commemoration rally for black teenager Michael Brown, who was killed by police last year.
Two people have been struck by gunfire in the midst of a late-night confrontation between riot police and protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, according to the police.
The incident came after a day of peaceful events commemorating the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager by a white officer one year ago.
Gunshots erupted as police were seeking to disperse a crowd of demonstrators who began blocking traffic and smashing windows along a street that was a flashpoint of last year's unrest following the slaying of 18-year-old Michael Brown, according to the police statement. The condition of the two people shot was not immediately known, police said.
The AFP news agency reported that at least one demonstrator was injured as several shots were fired during clashes in the city late Sunday.
Gunshots erupted as police were seeking to disperse a crowd of demonstrators who began blocking traffic and smashing windows along a street that was a flashpoint of last year's unrest following the slaying of 18-year-old Michael Brown. The condition of the two people shot was not immediately known, police said.
The St Louis County Police Department tweeted that "multiple shots" had been fired.
The department also said that an officer was involved in a shooting after coming under heavy gunfire. During the gunfire, at least two unmarked cars took shots, it added.
An AFP journalist heard about two dozen shots ring out and saw one bloodied protester lying on the ground.
Protesters who had gathered in the street fled in multiple directions, hiding behind cars and taking cover in buildings, the AP news agency said.
A day of peaceful rallies and prayer in Ferguson on Sunday gave way to a tense standoff between police in riot gear and protesters blocking traffic when shots were heard.
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