Officials in the strife-hit town of Ferguson, Missouri in the central United States say a police officer was shot in the arm Saturday.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting were not immediately clear.

Ferguson has been the scene of racial unrest since last month following the August shooting death of an unarmed black 18-year-old man by a white police officer.

Michael Brown was shot by police officer Darren Wilson and his body was left in the street for hours before it was removed.

The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the circumstances of the shooting and the practices of the police department in Ferguson.  In Missouri, a grand jury is considering whether Wilson should face criminal charges.  No decision is expected before late October.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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