At least two dozen police officers and two journalists were injured in violent riots that broke out in Memphis overnight, the city’s mayor said Thursday.
Six officers were taken to the hospital, Mayor Jim Strickland said in a statement.
The injuries came amid clashes between police and protesters sparked by a fatal shooting in north Memphis on Wednesday night.
US Marshals shot the man, whose identity wasn’t immediately released, while trying to arrest him on a warrant around 7 p.m., according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
A crowd of about 300 people descended on city streets soon after, some throwing rocks and spitting at police, the mayor said. Police decked out in riot gear responded by spraying tear gas.
“Let me be clear, the aggression shown towards our officers and deputies tonight was unwarranted,” Strickland said in his statement.
It was not clear how many civilians were injured.
The injuries were mostly minor, according to the police department.
With Post wires
