NEW YORK
A St. Louis County grand jury on Monday night decided not to bring charges against a white Ferguson police officer for fatally shooting an unarmed black teen, setting off a new wave of violence said to be worse than the original outbreak in August.
Hundreds of protesters poured into the streets of Ferguson after St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch announced the decision. Looting of some businesses was reported, including a chicken restaurant, a furniture shop and a Walgreens drug store.
Fires raged in cars and buildings.
Police in riot gear used huge amounts tear gas to disperse the protesters, according to reporters, and gunshots were heard on the streets.
But the St. Louis County Police Department denied firing tear gas, tweeting, "Police are not deploying tear gas. They are using #smoke to break up unruly crowds."
Saint Louis County includes various towns and cities, including Ferguson -- but not the city of St. Louis, which is an independent municipality.
The nation had been preparing for the announcement since last week amid fears that the clashes seen on the streets of Ferguson after the killing Aug. 9 of 18-year-old Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson could erupt anew if the jurors failed to issue an indictment against the officer.
St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said early Tuesday that the night's damage had been worse than in any of the nights following Brown's death.
“As soon as Mr. McCulloch announced the verdict, the officers started taking rocks and batteries,” he said at a press conference.
Brown's family expressed "profound disappointment" at the decision.
"While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change," the family said in a statement urging that protests remain peaceful. "We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen."
The family, who were notified by authorities several hours before the public announcement, said they should have been told earlier about the outcome of the grand jury's deliberations.
President Barack Obama urged demonstrators to heed the Brown family's call for peace.
"Michael Brown's parents have lost more than anyone," Obama said. "We should be honoring their wishes."
"We need to recognize that the situation in Ferguson speaks to broader challenges that we still face as a nation," he said in a televised address. "The fact is, in too many parts of this country a deep distrust exists between law enforcement and communities of color."
Attorney General Eric Holder said Brown's death "has sparked a national conversation about the need to ensure confidence between law enforcement and the communities they protect and serve."
"While constructive efforts are underway in Ferguson and communities nationwide, far more must be done to create enduring trust," Holder said in a statement.
The statement said the Justice Department is continuing its own investigation into allegations that the Ferguson Police Department has been involved in "unconstitutional policing patterns or practices."
Following the announcement, prosecutors released a set of grand jury documents, including Officer Wilson's testimony.
The documents show that the officer believed Brown was dangerous enough to be a threat to his life. The teen could have beaten him to death after being identified as a possible suspect in a theft, Wilson testified.
"As he is coming towards me, I tell, keep telling him to get on the ground, he doesn't. I shoot a series of shots. I don't know how many I shot, I just know I shot it," he told the grand jury according to the documents.
The officer said his main goal was to arrest Brown and "to keep eyes on him and just to keep him contained until I had people coming there."
Wilson, who has made no public statement since the incident, has been on a paid administrative leave since August
On Friday, CNN reported that Wilson was not planning to return to the force even if the grand jury decided not to indict him for the killing.
The report said Wilson "told associates he would resign as a way to help ease pressure and protect his fellow officers."
Also on Monday night, the rights group Amnesty International urged U.S. law enforcement agencies to protect the rights of peaceful protesters.
It said the actions of law enforcement in the next couple of days would be a test that could instill trust in the American community.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri released a statement saying the decision did not negate the fact that Brown’s death "is part of an alarming national trend of officers using excessive force against people of color, often during routine encounters."
Other American cities, including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia have also seen protests attended by thousands of demonstrators.
Further protests are expected Tuesday.
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