US President Barack Obama on Tuesday appealed for calm after what he called the "heartbreaking" death of a black teenager killed in a police shooting in Missouri that sparked rioting.
Looters targeted more than a dozen businesses in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson overnight Sunday after a vigil on the sidewalk where Michael Brown died erupted into clashes with police armed with tear gas, clubs and rubber bullets.
Witnesses and police have given conflicting versions of how the 18-year-old was shot in broad daylight on Saturday, two days before he was due to start college.
"The death of Michael Brown is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and his community at this very difficult time," Obama said in a statement, his first public reaction to the incident, which has stirred racial tensions.
"I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding," Obama added.
"We should comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. Along with our prayers, that's what Michael and his family, and our broader American community, deserve."
Brown's death stirred comparisons to the February 2012 fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida by pistol-toting neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who claimed he acted in self-defense. He went on to be acquitted of murder, two years ago this week.
It also renewed a debate about race and law enforcement in the United States, a month after the death of an asthmatic African-American father of five who was subjected to a "choke hold" by New York police in full view of passers-by.
If they gunned me down
The shooting has sparked debate on social media about the portrayal of young black teenagers in the media.
Social media users posted two contrasting photos of themselves with the tagline: “#iftheygunnedmedown what photo would they use?” The idea was to challenge how the media portray black people.
According to African-American news website The Root, the campaign makes a “statement on how the media draws a biased narrative when it comes to telling the stories of black men and women.”
The image of Brown that sparked the Twitter hashtag showed the teen wearing a red singlet, looking down at the camera,and pulling a peace sign with his fingers (although some have interpreted it to be a gang sign). Some news organisations chose to use this photo when tweeting about his death.
In one photo, user @King_Ghidorah5 posted a photo of himself sitting on his bed looking menacingly at the camera, while gesturing. In the second photo, he’s wearing military uniform and reading to school kids.
