The crowd that converged on the scene through the night numbered about 300 at its peak. Dotson estimated that about 100 police officers were there. Random gunshots fired by someone near Shaw caused many to scatter. At least two rounds of gunshots were heard near the scene. Three police cars were damaged by protesters kicking in the vehicles' windows or tail lights.

Protesters along with Sen. Jamilah Nasheed also showed up outside the Police Department's headquarters on Thursday morning, demanding the shooting be investigated by the U.S. Justice Department and a blue-ribbon panel appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon.

Dotson, who came to the shooting scene and gave an update to reporters after midnight, said the uniformed officer had been in a car when he saw three males near Shaw Boulevard and Klemm Street at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. One of the males started to run away but stopped. The officer did a U-turn and then all three ran, in the 4100 block of Shaw Boulevard. The officer drove through streets following them, and then he got out and chased them on foot.

The officer followed one of the young men, identified as Myers, into a gangway. He was running and holding his waistband in a way that caused the officer to suspect he had a gun, according to police.