Several stores were looted and bottles thrown in the area of a convenience store, shown in CCTV footage released by police to demonstrate that Michael Brown, 18, was a robbery suspect.The footage appears to show Mr Brown stealing and intimidating the owner.
The unrest came despite an appeal for calm by Mr Brown's family.
It said their son was not "perfect" but criticised what they see as a police attempt to "justify the execution-style murder".
"Stay with us, we don't want to see any violence on the streets. Please continue to peacefully protest," said Michael Brown's cousin, Eric Davis.
Police later said that the officer who shot Mr Brown did not know he was a robbery suspect.
Protests turn violent The killing sparked days of angry clashes between police and protesters, but demonstrations on Friday had been mostly peaceful.
A few hundred people demonstrated quietly at a filling station. which was looted and burnt last weekend.
But after midnight on Saturday local time (0500 GMT) more than 100 protesters gathered on the street near the convenience store.
Reports say that some protesters broke into the store while others tried to block their way, apparently to prevent looting.
Riot police arrived on the scene calling for the crowd to disperse.
They were met with stones and bottles, and responded with tear gas and pepper spray.
Civil rights leader Al Sharpton says a peaceful rally, led by Michael Brown's family is planned for Sunday.
"The family have never said that Mike Brown was perfect," said a lawyer representing them.
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said the officer who shot Mr Brown did not know that he had allegedly stolen goods from a nearby store.
"The initial contact between the officer and Michael Brown was not related to the robbery," he said.
Instead, he added, the reason for the stop was that Mr Brown "was walking down the middle of the street stopping traffic".
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