JUST IN: Ferguson police officer hospitalized with brain injury after protests on anniversary of Michael Brown’s death turn violent

According to Fox 2 Now, Officer Travis Brown is fighting for his life at the hospital with a brain injury after being knocked to the ground be a protester, according to the police. Several protesters have been arrested with charges and two other police officers were also hurt aside from Brown. Elijah Gantt, 28, is the man accused of knocking Brown to the ground, causing the brain injury. Gantt has been charged with first-degree assault, two counts of fourth-degree assault, resisting arrest, and first-degree property damage.

Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle said on Saturday during a press conference, “I had to look his mother in the eye and tell her what happened to her son. I’m never gonna do that again, I promise you that."

“He wanted to make an impact in our community," the police chief commented. Doyle described Brown as “the type of officer that we want in our community," adding, "And what happens? He gets assaulted."

According to Doyle, the police blocked off an area on Friday night to allow for the protest, but the protest turned violent during the evening. Protesters began to shake the fence at the Ferguson police station. Some of the portions of the fence were broken and stolen in the chaos.

Doyle told reporters that Officer Brown was charged by a man, causing him to fall and hit his head, leading to the brain injury.

Officer Travis Brown could be seen getting carried away by his colleagues in the midst of the chaos. St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell told reporters at the press conference that the man who knocked Brown to the ground is among those who has been arrested. Bell told people that they need to "bring the temperature down.”

Doyle passionately defended the Ferguson Police Department, adding that it has become a "punching bag" for the community since Michael Brown's death in 2014.