Ferguson police chief says officer involved in Michael Brown shooting was injured

FERGUSON Mo. (Reuters) - Ferguson, Missouri, Police Chief Thomas Jackson said on Wednesday the officer involved in the shooting of a black, unarmed teenager last weekend had been injured during the incident and was treated in the hospital for swelling on the side of his face.

The officer involved has not been named.

Jackson told a news conference he could not release any more information on the shooting because witness statements are still coming in.

Jackson said the priority for the town of Ferguson right now is improving race relations that have been badly damaged by the shooting in the largely black town with a mostly white police force.

He said his department was always trying to improve diversity in its ranks. "It is a constant struggle to hire and retain personnel," he said.

(Reporting by Carey Gillam; Writing by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by Sandra Maler)