Another police shooting near site of Missouri protests

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KGO) -- There was another police involved shooting in a St. Louis suburb rocked with three straight days of violent protests. It comes just days after a police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teen - triggering the unrest. There were two shootings overnight, one involving an officer.

Local media reports the shooting happened just before 1 a.m. local time, in unincorporated Saint Louis County. Police say four masked men were seen carrying shotguns and had reportedly fired shots. When police found them, they say one of the men pointed a handgun at an officer. An officer fired at least once, wounding the man. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Police tell ABC News the shooting was unrelated to the protests, but it happened near where protests have been ongoing.

For three nights, people have gathered, sometimes peacefully, sometimes not, to demand answers in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown. A police officer shot and killed brown Saturday afternoon. He was not armed, but police say Brown attacked an officer and tried to take his gun.

Police did use tear gas last night, as they did Monday, but say it was deployed only against a small group of protesters.

A mile away, and an hour earlier, a woman was shot in the head while walking outside. Police say it's unlikely the two shootings are related.

Authorities are withholding the name of the officer who shot Michael Brown, saying they are concerned for the officer's safety.