FERGUSON, Mo. — Schools are closed for a second week. Tear gas canisters and other debris often litter the streets. Businesses are struggling.
The 10 days of protests and violence are taking their toll on this normally quiet city of 21,000 people 12 miles from St. Louis.
"This has to stop," Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Johnson said Tuesday.
Johnson is charged with bringing peace to a city torn apart by violence since Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer, setting off the angry protests that have made international headlines.
On Tuesday, more sad news. One person was reported dead after an officer-involved shooting in north St. Louis, just four miles from the protests sites in Ferguson, KSDK-TV in St. Louis reported.
In Ferguson, schools were closed and streets were quiet Tuesday, hours after peaceful demonstrations once again descended into chaos with police coming "under heavy gunfire" and arresting 31 people. But everyone was bracing for whatever Tuesday night might bring.
Johnson said four police officers were injured by thrown rocks and bottles, at least two people were shot and two fires were set during another night of clashes between police and protesters that lasted into early Tuesday.
Johnson lauded local police, state troopers and National Guard personnel, saying they "acted with restraint and calm." He said police were shot at but did not fire any shots themselves.
"I don't want anyone to get hurt. I don't want an officer to get hurt, I don't want a citizen to get hurt. We have to find a way to stop it."
