One person has been critically injured and seven people have been arrested in Ferguson following violent protests sparked by the midnight curfew.

According to Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, the protestors were not the reason for escalated police presence and reaction. The AP reports that a group of people breaking into a nearby barbecue restaurant and a man who flaunted a handgun in the middle of the street caused the situation to escalate quickly.

Just after the midnight curfew, protestors clashed with police in riot gear, shouting "We are Mike Brown! We have the right to assemble peacefully!" according to the New York Times. Seven were arrested and charged with "failure to disperse."

In an attempt to reach the shooting victim, who was shot near the barbecue restaurant, police deployed tear gas and smoke canisters. The shooting victim, who was taken to the hospital by bystanders, is in critical condition, but was not shot by the police.

Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson addressed the night's events at a news conference early Sunday morning, telling press, "I was disappointed in the actions of tonight."

[Image via AP]