Two police officers have been shot in Ferguson, Missouri, as protesters dispersed from a protest near a police station.
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Two US police officers have been shot outside the Ferguson police department.
St Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said gunfire hit an officer from his department in the shoulder, and one from the Webster Groves Police Department in the face.
Both are conscious and are being treated at a local hospital after suffering “very serious gunshot injuries,” he added.
The town has been the scene of demonstrations since August 2014, when an unarmed black teenager was killed by a white police officer.
Witnesses say at least three shots rang out as a protest taking place outside the Missouri police station was breaking up.
La police de #Ferguson confirme 2 officiers blessés par balle. Devraient survivre. (photos @LaurieSkrivan) pic.twitter.com/LTSklYHeXX
— Breaking 3.0 (@Breaking3zero) March 12, 2015
A few dozen demonstrators had gathered in the area after police chief Thomas Jackson announced he would be resigning.
‘Widespread racial bias’
Police Chief Jackson’s resignation will take effect from March 19, 2015. The city announced it would be giving Jackson a severance payment and would pay for his health insurance for 12 months.
His going follows a scathing federal report which found ‘widespread racial bias’ in the local police force.
In August 2014, Michael Brown teenager was fatally shot by Officer Darren Wilson.
His death sparked weeks of demonstrations – some violent – and led to the report being commissioned.