Ferguson, Mo., stores looted overnight

FERGUSON, Mo., Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Tension were high overnight in Ferguson, Mo., again as looters broke into and robbed businesses while police largely looked on and didn't intervene.

Protesters looted the Ferguson Market and Liquor store overnight Friday, the location where video surveillance appeared to show slain teen Michael Brown stealing cigars and becoming physically aggressive with a store clerk.

Brown, 18, was shot dead Aug. 9 by St. Louis County police officer Darren Wilson shortly after he allegedly robbed the store.

Protesters at the boarded-up liquor store stood outside with their hands raised chanting "I am Mike Brown." Some witnesses said the unarmed Brown had his hands raised in the air when he was shot.

The owner of Feel Beauty supply said her store was also looted and trashed overnight.

Though police largely didn't intervene in the protests and looting Friday night and Saturday morning, officers did don riot gear and shoot tear gas at one point when they were confronted.

All of a sudden, tempers flared again when a large group of protestors confronted officers in front of a liquor store pic.twitter.com/QBMiWdqYqU

— Joel D. Anderson (@blackink12) August 16, 2014

shot while running from the tear gas and flash bombs #ferguson pic.twitter.com/ptWWQvBQ9b

— Amy K. Nelson (@AmyKNelson) August 16, 2014

Protests in the town had grown peaceful Friday after state police took over law enforcement from St. Louis County police, who had come under fire for alleged overly aggressive behavior and militarization.