Two cops have been shot in Ferguson after a demonstration that started as a celebration of the police chief's resignation turned violent, leading to gunfire, a report said.
According to St. Louis Police Chief Jon Belmar, while a St. Louis County police officer was struck in the shoulder, the other, a Webster Groves officer, was hit in the face, reported the CNN.
He added that the officers were hospitalized and conscious.
The incident took place after Ferguson Police chief announced his decision to step down from post after a federal probe found evidence of racial bias against his police department.
The police department came under scrutiny after a white officer, Darren Wilson, killed an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown, in August, sparking weeks of protests.
Police chief Thomas Jackson wrote in his resignation letter, "It has been an honour and a privilege to serve this great city and to serve with all of you."
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He had earlier resisted calls from protesters and some state leaders to step down.
The resignation will be effective on March 19. The city has said it would be giving Jackson a severance payment and would pay for his health insurance for one year.
The authorities added that they will conduct a "nationwide search" for a permanent replacement for Jackson who had served as the head of the police department since 2010.
Several other officers have stepped down in the wake of the report.
U.S. authorities have pledged to reconstitute the force, possibly dismantling it.
