Missouri governor orders 2,200 Guard troops to Ferguson

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced that he is significantly increasing the National Guard presence in Ferguson Tuesday night, after the grand jury decision not to indict Darren Wilson led to looting and arson. 

There will now be more than 2,200 National Guard troops in the Ferguson area, Nixon said, up from around 700 on Monday night. The Guard will protect homes and businesses, an expansion of protecting a limited number of locations, such as the police station. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Ferguson Mayor James Knowles said that the National Guard had not been deployed in time on Monday night to save businesses. He and other elected officials had urged the governor to deploy troops faster, Nixon said.

{mosads}”The violence we saw in the area of Ferguson last night cannot be repeated,” Nixon said at a press conference.

“I am deeply saddened for the people of Ferguson who woke up to see parts of their community in ruins,” he added.

At least 29 people were arrested and six businesses burned on Monday night after a grand jury announced its decision not to charge police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, a case that drew national attention. 

There were reports of gunfire, police cars were set on fire and police used tear gas to disperse crowds.