Following a day of peaceful protests, havoc broke out in Ferguson, Missouri Monday night, which resulted in 31 arrests.

Racial tension has peaked while angry community members have held a string of protests in the St. Louis suburb in wake of the death of Mike Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American who was fatally shot by a white police officer on Aug. 9. Although police say the teen reached for the officer's weapon, several witnesses say Brown was shot execution style while he was trying to surrender.

Since then, protesters have been calling for justice for Brown through peaceful demonstrations, however Missouri state troopers, now in charge of directing the law enforcement in Ferguson, say that a handful of protesters are committing violent acts against police.

During a news conference early Tuesday, Missouri Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson told reporters that 31 people had been arrested Monday night and that authorities confiscated two handguns and a Molotov cocktail.

"Our officers came under heavy gunfire," said Johnson while briefing reporters on Monday's night's violence.

"Not a single bullet was fired by officers despite coming under heavy attack," he said, adding that four officers had been injured after being struck by rocks or bottles, according to Today's Zaman.

In spite of the violence, he claimed that police had not fired a single shot.

"This nation is watching each and every one of us," said Johnson. "I am not going to let the criminals that have come here from across this country, or live in this neighborhood, define this community." Johnson said, reports Fox News.

Johnson told CNN that two people were hospitalized after being shot within the crowd, but not by police.

"This has to stop. I don't want anybody to get hurt. We have to find a way to stop this," said Johnson, an African-American who was raised in Ferguson.