Blame, rumor and blood in Charlotte as protests surge and authorities bolster forces

Uproar over the fatal police shooting of a black man reached new levels of violence in protests that raged into early Thursday amid looting, street clashes and gunfire, including a demonstrator critically injured in what officials called a “civilian on civilian” shooting.

The incident thrust an already tense night deeper into chaos as reports of the victim’s condition changed throughout the night and word spread among protesters that the victim may have been shot by police, which the police adamantly deny.