A large, tense and often violent crowd threw rocks and set vehicles and buildings on fire Saturday night near the scene of a fatal police shooting earlier in the day in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood.
After several confrontations with police and pleas from city leaders, the crowds finally dispersed early Sunday morning.
Some 100 protesters skirmished with officers hours after the shooting occurred near 44th and Auer at 3:30 p.m.
Police said the 23-year-old man was fleeing a traffic stop and was armed with a gun. It wasn't immediately clear if he pointed it at or fired it at the officer.
- GALLERY: Scenes from North Side Milwaukee
Police said in a tweet that officers were moving into an intersection and asking the crowd to disperse peacefully, but rocks were being thrown at officers.
TODAY'S TMJ4 was initially forced to pull crews from the area due to safety reasons and threats of physical violence from some members of the crowd.
A squad car was set on fire and the District 7 police headquarters was boarded up in anticipation of demonstrators.
The department said in earlier tweets that one officer was injured by a thrown brick, a squad car had its windows smashed and another one was set on fire.
A BP Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh was looted and set on fire during the protests. The Milwaukee Fire Department was not allowed on the scene to extinguish the fire due to gunshots being fired near the scene. Three employees were rescued by an armored police truck. Firefighters were able to get to the scene at around midnight.
WATCH: CROWD BURNS DOWN BP
According to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, word began to spread about the protests on social media -- mostly among young people -- and more demonstrators converged on the area.
A second fire was later reported at an O'Reilly Auto Parts store at 35th and Fond du Lac.
Another fire was reported at The BMO Harris branch near 44th and Auer. It was at least the fifth business to burn, along with Jet Beauty Supply on West Burleigh and the MJM Liquor Store on West Fond du Lac.
A traffic signal was also bent and bus shelters overturned.
An officer was also undergoing treatment at a local hospital after a brick was thrown through a squad window, hitting him in the head.
Barrett and a number of aldermen held a news conference at around midnight and pleaded for calm.
"If you love your son, if you love your daughter, text them, call them, pull them by the ears and get them home. Get them home right now before more damage is done," Barrett said.
Gas station at Sherman and Burleigh set on fire. MFD cannot extinguish fire as gunshots are being fired.
— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016
MPD officer undergoing treatment at local hospital after brick thrown through squad window, striking officer in the head.
— Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) August 14, 2016
Milwaukee police said it all started when two officers pulled over two suspects in a vehicle. When the suspects stopped, they both ran from the car.
The officers got out of their squad car and chased them. During the chase, one officer shot one suspect who was allegedly armed with a semiautomatic handgun.
The suspect, a 23-year-old man from Milwaukee who police say has a lengthy arrest record, died from his injuries at the scene.
Just had rocks thrown at me photographing this burn car at Sherman Blvd near Auer. Police now retreating. Me too! pic.twitter.com/d5CNyHAQGs
— Mike De Sisti (@mdesisti) August 14, 2016
Near 44th and Auer pic.twitter.com/kQmiaCOOWh
— Ashley Luthern (@aluthern) August 14, 2016
The officer, a 24-year-old man, was not injured and will be placed on administrative duty.
Police say the handgun the suspect was armed with was taken during a burglary in Waukesha back in March. The victim of that burglary also told police 500 rounds of ammunition were stolen with the handgun.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
