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Police fire tear gas at demonstrators protesting the shooting of Michael Brown after they refused to honor the midnight curfew on August 17, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. The curfew was imposed on Saturday in an attempt to reign in the violence that has erupted nearly every night in the suburban St. Louis town since the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer on August 9. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Update as of 06:16am EDT:

Update as of 04:05am EDT: The Missouri Highway Patrol announced that one person is in critical condition following the clashes in Ferguson this morning. In addition, there are unconfirmed reports that protesteres shot at a police car during the unrest.

Update as of 03:59am EDT: The Missouri Highway Patrol say that seven arrests were made in connection with the disturbances in Ferguson, Missouri this evening.

Update as of 03:34am EDT:

Update as of 02:42am EDT: Our reporter in Ferguson, Kathleen Caulderwood writes:

Police have moved on protesters that remained in Ferguson after midnight. There are conflicting reports as to whether tear gas or smoke bombs were employed, though flash-bangs were used.

The crowd disbursed into a nearby residential area. Missouri highway patrol followed. There are unconfirmed reports that one protester was shot. Police seemed to arrest four people, and put them into vans, though their identities and status could not be confirmed. Witnesses say protesters had Molotov cocktails.

Update as of 02:25am EDT: There are unconfirmed reports of multiple arrests in Ferguson, after protesters who defied a curfew clashed with police.

This is a developing story, check back for further updates.

Update as of 01:55am EDT: Police have fired what is believed to be tear gas a protesters who have defied a curfew in Ferguson, Missouri.

There are conflicting reports as to whether tear gas or smoke bombs have been fired, though the Huffington Post's Ryan J. Reilly on the scene tweeted that a public relations officer had confirmed to him that tear gas had been deployed.
CNN, however are reporting that police say that smoke is being used.
There are also unconfirmed reports of protesters throwning a Molotov coctail:
And St Louis Alderman Antonio French was one of many people to tweet that they had heard shots fired.
Pictures on social media also purportedly show protesters breaking up kerbstones which could be used as projectiles.
This is a developing story. Check back for further updates.

Original story below:

Demonstrators gathered once again outside the QuikTrip convenience store in Ferguson, Missouri, a little over an hour before a midnight curfew, as police in riot gear position themselves outside various storefronts on the street.

When journalists asked if they would use force, they gave no answer.

"I'm gonna stay. Why should we go?" said Greg harris, 22, who lives just down the street.

"This thing with Mike Brown, it could have been me. That's why I'm out.”

Seconds later Malik Shabazz, the founder of Black Lawyers For Justice, approached Harris and his friends, telling them to move along.

"Let's get out of here, let's all get some rest," he said to them, before repeating the message through a megaphone, addressing the larger crowd.

Just a few hundred feet away, Jacob Thomas, 27, stands on his front porch surrounded by a small group friends and young cousins.

At midnight, he says, the kids will go inside.

"But I'm just going to stay here to make sure everything is ok," he said.

Though the crowd has petered out, it's hard to predict what will happen here in Ferguson, minutes before curfew.