Manhunt for 'sniper' who shot cops in Ferguson

Two Ferguson-area law enforcement officers were treated for "serious" injuries and released from a nearby hospital Thursday after being shot during a protest over Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson's announcement of his resignation.

One officer from Webster Groves, 32, was shot in the face and another from St. Louis County, 41, was hit in the shoulder. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said their injuries were considered "serious," the Associated Press reported. By early Thursday afternoon, both were released from the hospital, St. Louis County Police Department spokesman Brian Schellman said, Reuters reported.

One witness told CNN the bullets, about four of them, came from a nearby hill, rather than from the crowd of protesters. Police still don't have suspects or solid leads.

"I don't know who did the shooting, to be honest with you," Belmar said, adding that the trajectory of the bullets indicated "these shots were directed exactly at my officers."

The shots were fired shortly after midnight, just hours after Jackson announced he would resign, effective March 19. Both Jackson and the city called the separation "mutual," CNN reported. In an email to CNN, Jackson called the separation "a really hard pill to swallow."

Jackson's resignation comes on the heels of a scathing Department of Justice report that found systematic discrimination among police and city officials toward minorities in the community. Specifically, the report faulted Ferguson police for regarding the mostly minority population in the city as "sources of revenue," and for passing around racist jokes. Ferguson City Manager John Shaw had stepped down from his post Tuesday; two officers and a city court clerk were previously fired in connection with the racist emails. State Sen. Maria Chappell-Nadal, meanwhile, has also called for Ferguson Mayor James Knowles to step down.

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"Your move, mayor," she said in a recent statement reported by the St. Louis American. "A fish rots from the head down. The DOJ report revealed that the instructions came from the top. Make up the rules. Make sure your friends are exempt. Arrest and fine all the black people."

She's not alone. Apparently, the latest resignation didn't appease city residents, who have been on edge for months over the police shooting of teen Michael Brown. Crowds gathered outside the police department in the late Wednesday evening hours. One witness, Marciay Pitchford, 20, said the protests seemed peaceful, until the shots rang out.

"I saw the officer go down and the other police officers drew their guns while other officers dragged the injured officer away," Pitchford said, AP reported. "All of a sudden everybody started running or dropping to the ground."

Others reported the protest had turned tense in the leadup to the shootings.

Some chanted, "Racists cops have got to go," while others waved signs that read, "They don't really care about us," and "Black lives matter," CNN reported.

Either way, most at the scene agreed the rally drew the largest crowd that's been seen in Ferguson in months.

Police reacted to the shooting by donning riot gear and encircling the station, AP reported. More than a dozen squad cars blocked off city streets.

Twitter, meanwhile, was quick to respond to the incident – and not all the comments were sympathetic to the police.

"#ChiefJacksonsteps down and two pigs get shot? Best day #Ferguson has had in years," one tweeted, Infowars reported.

And another: "im glad 2 pigs wounded in #Ferguson lol."

And yet one more: "serves those two pigs right, i hope organized public militancy continues #ferguson."

Infowars also reported that video footage of the moments right before and after the shooting captured one voice saying: "Acknowledgement nine months ago would have kept that from happening."

See WND's extensive reporting on Ferguson:

'Race hustlers incited Ferguson violence'

Top cop says it's 'miracle' no officer shot earlier

Manhunt for 'sniper' who shot cops in Ferguson

Fox News Talker: Ferguson mob 'incited' by Holder

MSNBC host: 'What about disarming police?'

Ferguson mayor after cops shot