--- description: Gov. Jay Nixon said the National Guard's deployment in and around Ferguson will rise from 700 to more than 2,200 title: National Guard Presence to 'Significantly' Ramp Up Around Ferguson image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt019360c69f463b19/69876b192dce0175b49dc06c/ferguson-police3.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # National Guard Presence to 'Significantly' Ramp Up Around Ferguson by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/) and [Victor Luckerson](/author/victor-luckerson/) Nov 25, 2014 10:29 PM CUT  Police officers in riot gear stand guard in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Police officers in riot gear stand guard in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014Barrett Emke for TIME by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/) and [Victor Luckerson](/author/victor-luckerson/) Nov 25, 2014 10:29 PM CUT Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon pledged Tuesday to “significantly” ramp up the National Guard’s presence in and around Ferguson after a night of violent riots, fires and looting followed the announcement that a white police officer would not be indicted in the August shooting death of an unarmed black teen. “No one should have to live like this, no one deserves this. We must do better and we will,” he said. “The violence we saw last night cannot be repeated.” More than 2,200 Guardsmen would be deployed in the region, up from 700 in 100 locations on Monday night, in an effort to avoid repeating the events that played out in the area. Looters damaged or destroyed at least a dozen buildings, while others set several cars aflame, as law enforcement officers fired smoke bombs in a bid to restrain crowds of angry protesters. Television networks, photographers and ordinary citizens wielding smartphones latched onto scenes of unrest, disseminating them widely as the night went on. In the morning, some showed scenes of the smoldering buildings and cars while others focused on immediate clean-up efforts. ### Ferguson Ignites With Violence After Grand Jury Decision  Law enforcement stands in full gear by tanks in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Protesters stand amid tear gas and smoke in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Barrett Emke for TIME  Riot policemen clash with protesters in Ferguson Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Alexey Furman—EPA  St. Louis County Police tactical team members open their reserve supply of tear gas to be fired as they take cover behind an armored truck on S. Florissant Avenue in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. David Carson—St Louis Post Dispatch/Polaris  Law enforcement responds to protestors in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A woman speaks into a megaphone during protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A man lies on the ground amid protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Police in riot gear tangle with a woman in front of emergency vehicles in Ferguson Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  A demonstrator puts his hands in the air amid protests in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A law enforcement officer pushes back protestors after they destroyed a police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Michael B. Thomas—AFP/Getty Images  Demonstrators attempt to push over a police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov, 24, 2014. Xinhua/Sipa  Cars burn at a car dealership as demonstrators protest the Grand Jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson over the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on No.v 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  A car burns on the street after a grand jury returned no indictment in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Jim Young—Reuters  Protestors parade in the parking lot of a burning auto parts store in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Tannen Maury—EPA  A demonstrator walks down the street after getting tear gas in her face and attempting to cleanse her eyes in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Larry W. Smith—EPA  Patrick London surveys the damage at his fast food restaurant London's Wing House after it was looted during protests on Nov. 24, 2014. Barrett Emke for TIME  Michael Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, covers her face while standing alongside other demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  Police stand near a burned out police car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Christian Gooden—St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Polaris  A man stands by a burned out car in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014 Barrett Emke for TIME  A Ferguson firefighter surveys rubble at a strip mall that was set on fire when rioting erupted following the grand jury announcement in the Michael Brown case on Nov. 25, 2014 in Ferguson, Mo. Scott Olson—Getty Images  A police officer holds her gun during clashes with protesters in Ferguson, Mo. on Nov. 24, 2014. Jewel Samad—AFP/Getty Images Nixon was joined by several state officials who used similarly grim language. “Last night was a disaster,” said Col. Ronald Replogle, head of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. And Daniel Isom, director of Missouri’s Department of Public Safety, called Monday night “a disappointment in so many ways.” “Our community not only needs to be safe,” added St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar. “They need to feel safe.” The announcement of the security boost came soon after Ferguson Mayor James Knowles criticized the lack of National Guard presence amid the tumult, saying he was “deeply concerned” that Nixon chose not to deploy additional Guardsmen as violence increased in the area. “It was my understanding that they would be deployed, if needed, to maintain order and protect businesses,” Knowles said. “They were not.” VOTE: [Should the Ferguson protestors be TIME’s Person of the Year?](http://time.com/3562179/time-person-of-the-year-poll/ "undefined") Knowles also revealed that Wilson remains on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an internal investigation. Prior to the grand jury announcement Monday, Ferguson’s police chief had said the officer may be able to return to his job should he not be indicted. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3606063/ferguson-missouri-national-guard-deployment/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3606063/ferguson-missouri-national-guard-deployment/"},"headline":"National Guard Presence to 'Significantly' Ramp Up Around Ferguson","datePublished":"2014-11-25T22:29:56.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:50:46.533Z","description":"Gov. 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