Peaceful protests in Ferguson

Protests continued into the night in Ferguson, Missouri, with several hundred people rallying against the killing of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer on August 9.

The demonstrations were mostly quiet, with participants chanting "hands up, don't shoot," an allegory for Brown, who was said to have his hands up in surrender when he was shot six times - reportedly twice in the head - by 28-year-old police officer Darren Wilson.

At a press conference on early Wednesday morning local time, Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, who had been entrusted with overseeing security in Ferguson last week, commended the community in the town of 21,000 and said protests had remained peaceful. He added that 47 people had been arrested after some protesters threw bottles at security. Officers had fired no bullets or tear gas.

He said a turning point had been made in the atmosphere surrounding the protests, which have occurred daily for the past eleven days, thanks to the citizens heeding advice of the police and going home early to avoid "the criminals roaming the streets."

Missouri State Governor Jay Nixon lifted a midnight curfew on Tuesday, three days after declaring a state of emergency. On Monday, he ordered in the National Guard to restore order in the town, which lies on the outskirts of St. Louis. So far, however, there is no sign the protests will cease.

St. Louis shooting

Tuesday night's protests come after another man, a 23-year-old African American was shot and killed by police on Tuesday in St. Louis. The man was armed and "apparently agitated," according to St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson.

He is said to have been carrying a knife and shouting "kill me now" as he approached a patrol outside a convenience store on August 19.

A tweet from Chief Dotson confirmed: "Officers gave suspect verbal commands. Officers feared for their safety and both officers fired their weapons. Suspect is deceased."

Another officer, Captain Ed Kuntz, told reporters at the scene that as far as he knew "it seems reasonable to say it was justifiable," but that an investigation into the shooting had been launched. Kuntz added that the suspect refused to drop the knife as he moved towards the officers.

US Attorney General to visit Ferguson

What began as peaceful demonstrations and prayers gave way to looting and violence in Ferguson over the course of the past week and a half. Fifty-six people were arrested on the night of August 18, charged with failure to disperse.

US Attorney General Eric Holder is set to visit Ferguson later on Wednesday amid an ongoing federal investigation into civil rights violations in the case.

A grand jury is expected to begin hearing evidence to determine whether Officer Darren Wilson should be charged for Brown's death.

sb/kms (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)