Racial tensions continued in Ferguson, Missouri, on Tuesday in protest of the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown six times by U.S. police officer Darren Wilson. The death of the unarmed teenager on August 9 has spurred massive protests by nightly confrontations. Last night a 23-year-old Kajieme Powell was killed by police after reportedly carrying a knife and behaving erratically.

The incident took place 4 miles from the unrest and appeared to have no link to the tension, however a crowd that gathered appeared to link the matters and demand questions. Powell, a robbery suspect at a convenience store who stole energy drinks and some donuts, purportedly waved around his knife and urged the police officers to kill him as he came within feet of the two officers.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Sam Dotson said the man didn’t drop the knife when asked to do so. Instead, he yelled: “Shoot me! Kill me now!” Some witnesses described the incident as “suicide by cop”.

Earlier, authorities had called for “quiet and reconciliation”.

In ten days of chaos in Ferguson following Brown’s shooting there have been 78 people arrested in clashes though officials had earlier said that only 31 people had been detained.

The police officer who shot Brown will appear before a grand jury that will decide if criminal charges are to be pressed against him.

Brown’s funeral is to be held on Monday following the completion of a third autopsy on his body by federal officials.