'And the riots have started': Protest escalates in Ferguson Mo. [pics, Vine, video]; Updated: Looting, vandalism, violence: Updated: Gunshots, broken glass, alarms, fire

Things are getting intense, bottles are being thrown at the police line #FergusonShooting @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/WIuHlWDLYw

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

Police line growing on w. Florissant avenue people still chanting "no justice no peace" #FergusonShooting @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/JW3gZqYTvJ

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

The emotions are running high in the streets of #Ferguson crowd creeping towards police #FergusonShooting @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/H8mWYKKxfX

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

if #Ferguson police harm protestors, Anonymous said they'll hack databases, dump info onto the web. "This is not a threat, it is a promise."

— Sheba Black Panther™ (@seelolago) August 11, 2014

Riot police have now put on tear gas masks. Reports that tear gas has already been used on demonstrators. #MikeBrown pic.twitter.com/Tye4tGXJBE

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2014

@MichaelSkolnik WOW… Are you serious??

— Brenicia❤ (@Ambitious_Bre) August 11, 2014

Breaking: people's hands are in the air – crowd still getting closer to police line #FergusonShooting @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/pbtJbUsG03

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

Crowd chantIng: "Hands up, Don't shoot" #MikeBrown (photo: @ElizabethKSDK) pic.twitter.com/tOjVhEoCH0

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2014

Now crowd is chanting "Hands up, don't shoot" #FergusonShooting @ksdknews

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

Whatever you do right now will be played and replayed all over TV tomorrow. Believe that.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 11, 2014

Looting at the #Ferguson QuickTrip: https://t.co/R6fvguTb18

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2014

@STLAbuBadu Wow, way to disrespect your cause

— Pt (@PTtheIslander) August 11, 2014

@PTtheIslander these young people need mentors and guidance

— Umar Lee (@STLAbuBadu) August 11, 2014

Fuck the police graffiti popping up everywhere.

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

Trying to get the crowd to disburse before things get ugly. Some not happy about it. https://t.co/7tPQjuPmSg

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014

Getting the protestors to sit down. Put hands up in protest. #ferguson https://t.co/L5vABsluab

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014

kmov Very hard to see, glass everywhere. I left west Florissant near the area where family members say… http://t.co/a2zwpluoRF

— Brittany Noble-Jones (@BrittanyNoble) August 11, 2014

Breaking: there is a fire behind a strip mall, people have broken into a liquor store @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/UpjChlP2Kq

— Elizabeth Matthews (@ElizabethKSDK) August 11, 2014

And the riots have started lord help us

— Tef Poe/FootKlan (@TefPoe) August 11, 2014

@TefPoe hope it De escalates peacefully…

— William H (@iamWillH) August 11, 2014

.@DoctaSlick we will.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) August 11, 2014

Dozens of police cars and cops in riot gear are gathering at the Target just south of the protest. This could get ugly very soon…

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2014

@MichaelSkolnik uglier than looting, breaking glass and setting things on fire…don't these people need to wake up tomorrow abd live here?

— Mike Minoff (@MikeMinoff1) August 11, 2014

@MichaelSkolnik adding insult to injury. What happened to the right to assemble? We have the right to question those who police our hoods!

— LaToya Marie (@latoyamarie) August 11, 2014

Police reports hundreds of people "running out of Sam's Market" with merchandise. #Ferguson

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 11, 2014

@MichaelSkolnik not helpful.

— bill killip (@bkillip) August 11, 2014

@MichaelSkolnik Destroy your own neighborhood, that's going to make everything ok.

— Ellen D (@Delaware_Dolfan) August 11, 2014

“@MichaelSkolnik: Police reports hundreds of people "running out of Sam's Market" with merchandise. #Ferguson” Fuck it. I give up.

— Lakers (7th Seed) (@ReecePGL) August 11, 2014

BREAKING: People looting gas station in #Ferguson, multiple police vehicles "severely" damaged, SWAT called to neighborhood.

— Rob Edwards (@RobertDEdwards) August 11, 2014

A man is trying to face off with police right now, crowd is surrounding him .. Officers aren't budging. pic.twitter.com/0T5bT8UhHR

— Christina Coleman (@ChristinaKSDK) August 11, 2014

QuikTrip is ground zero for this disturbance. People are walking out with cases of beer, liquor, pumping gas.

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

Crowds are smashing the windows of stores up and down West Florissant. #MichaelBrown

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

No one is even trying to control the crowd anymore. #MichaelBrown

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

@rlippmann Because the whole crowd is avenging Michael Brown's killing and they are demanding justice for him and his family.

— Roslynn Kemp (@AmethystRos) August 11, 2014

Damage at the QuikTrip. The entire store is just about cleared out. pic.twitter.com/V968oPD2ob

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

Just heard someone walking toward the QuikTrip saying, "if they never would have shot that boy, this wouldn't have happened. #MichaelBrown

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

Crowds are smashing the windows of stores up and down West Florissant. #MichaelBrown

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

Police line. #MichaelBrown pic.twitter.com/9ChrdvGgBk

— Rachel Lippmann (@rlippmann) August 11, 2014

C'mon now, y'all… http://t.co/8qLf9NscD6 #MikeBrown

— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) August 11, 2014

They have broken into the beauty supply, check cashing, all the businesses.

— Patricia Bynes (@Patricialicious) August 11, 2014

.@stltoday reporting a reporter was punched in back of head in #ferguson. Not seriously injured http://t.co/NdxfhSINn6

— Greg Jonsson (@Jonssonville) August 11, 2014

Local live news coverage from #Ferguson tonight /via @BlogsofWar http://t.co/JyrWOlywgM

— Patrick deHahn (@patrickdehahn) August 11, 2014

St. Louis metro police chief says the agency and Missouri Hwy. Patrol have sent assets to assist the county with situation in Ferguson.

— Micah Grimes (@MicahGrimes) August 11, 2014

Gun shots, looting large crowds in street no cops around #ferguson pic.twitter.com/S1eoPEliRD

— David Carson (@PDPJ) August 11, 2014

Honestly a little scared #ferguson

— David Carson (@PDPJ) August 11, 2014

Police moving in

— David Carson (@PDPJ) August 11, 2014

.@FOX2now is now reporting that the auto tire store in Ferguson, Missouri is being looted http://t.co/Y1vCJ3z6CD https://t.co/vxcdsYmArs

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) August 11, 2014

Reports of multiple businesses lit on fire in 9300 blk of West Florissant #FergusonShooting

— Anne Allred (@AnneAllredNBC) August 11, 2014

This is Ferguson, MO right now. Via @AntonioFrench https://t.co/sAPjoQUYIb More photos and videos – http://t.co/K7LpB7cwug

— PzFeed Top News (@PzFeed) August 11, 2014

Right now in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/RXVFMGaK52

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014

Right now in #Ferguson https://t.co/qLPKEs97yB

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014

The smell of smoke, the sound of helicopters, breaking glass and alarms. #Ferguson right now. pic.twitter.com/pmwJtvYQSQ

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014

Leaving #Ferguson. Goodnight. https://t.co/2yB7mkkcaQ

— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 11, 2014