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GUNFIRE has broken out at a demonstration held to mark the second anniversary of murdered black teen Michael Brown in Missouri.

Crowds ducked for cover when the gunshots rang out after a car hit a protester, named locally as Jacoby Thomas, who was at the demonstration to remember the unarmed black teenager who was killed by a white police officer in 2014.

The man hit by a car during the Michael Brown protests is carried to safety
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The man, named locally as Jacoby Thomas,  hit by a car during the Michael Brown protests is carried to safetyCredit: AP:Associated Press
Sharon Cowan chants as she marches on the way to a candle light vigil on the spot where Mike Brown was killed on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Ferguson. The protest was disrupted when a protester was hit by a car
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Sharon Cowan chants as she marches on the way to a candle light vigil on the spot where Mike Brown was killed on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Ferguson. The protest was disrupted when a protester was hit by a carCredit: AP:Associated Press
Protesters hide behind cars after shots were fired during the demonstration
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Protesters hide behind cars after shots were fired during the demonstrationCredit: AP:Associated Press
Terrified crowds started running after the gunshots rang out
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Terrified crowds started running after the gunshots rang out
The car hit the Ferguson protester during the march to mark Michael Brown's death
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The car hit the Ferguson protester during the march to mark Michael Brown's deathCredit: Facebook
Police have said the driver did not mean to hit the protester
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Police have said the driver did not mean to hit the protesterCredit: Facebook
The white car was shot at after it hit the protester, named locally as Jacoby Thomas
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The white car was shot at after it hit the protester, named locally as Jacoby ThomasCredit: Facebook

In one video, the white car can be seen driving through the street when it collides with a protester.

Witnesses said he was hit so hard that he flew into the air.

Bystanders can be heard screaming with others saying: "he hit him, he hit him".

Men can then be heard yelling "move, move" and swearing as they try to stop the car from driving away.

Gunshots then ring out across the street as people begin running.

The man who was hit by the car was rushed to hospital with his condition unknown.

Witness Sharon Cowan told AP news agency that the driver of the car that ploughed through the crowd: "knocked the shoes off his feet. Hit him, and he rolled and he bounced."

In a second video, a series of shots can be heard as the crowds stand horrified at the violent outburst.

People at the protest, estimated to number about 75, can be heard saying: "the car just hit him".

Another witness, Heather DeMian, said: "The bullets started flying and I started screaming."

No one was hurt in the shooting.

The death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in 2014 sparked the Black Lives Matter campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the killings of black men and women by police officers.

 

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Michael Brown was just 18 when he was shot and killed by a police officer in 2014
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Michael Brown was just 18 when he was shot and killed by a police officer in 2014Credit: AP:Associated Press
A memorial service earlier in the day had seen mourners release white doves to remember Michael Brown
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A memorial service earlier in the day had seen mourners release white doves to remember Michael BrownCredit: AP:Associated Press
Cal Brown, left, and her husband Michael Brown, Sr were at the memorial for their son
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Cal Brown, left, and her husband Michael Brown, Sr were at the memorial for the 18-year-oldCredit: AP:Associated Press

Police said the person driving the car had not meant to knock over a protester.

Ferguson Police spokesman Jeff small said the driver was being "very cooperative."

He told newspaper that there were bullet holes in the car but no one had been hurt.

Family and friends of the teenager had earlier that day held a memorial for the 18-year-old, releasing doves into the sky.

His family broke down in tears during the quiet morning vigil, which was followed by an evening church service.

Brown's father, also named Michael Brown, : "My son built families up, opened the eyes of the world and let them know this ain't right. This colour is not a disease. This colour is beautiful. Black is beautiful."

Michael Brown was killed on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson Missouri by a white police officer.

The high-profile case attracted national attention with police officer Darren Wilson firing 12 times - although it is unclear how many bullets hit 18-year-old brown.

A St. Louis County grand jury and an investigation by the Department of Justice found that Wilson was justified in shooting Michael Brown

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