FERGUSON (AP) – St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said Thursday the two officers who were shot during a protest in Ferguson Wednesday night aren’t expected to have long-term injuries.

Belmar said one of the officers was shot in the face, just below his right eye and the bullet lodged behind his ear. The other officer was shot in his right shoulder, with the bullet leaving out his back.

Belmar said the shooting easily could have resulted in two deaths. He cited two New York City officers who were ambushed in their police cruiser in December.

Belmar said the shots were fired from across the street. They came as protesters gathered, following the resignation yesterday of Ferguson’s police chief. The community saw similar and much larger demonstrations after the shooting death of black 18-year-old Michael Brown last summer by white police officer Darren Wilson.

Following last week’s scathing Justice Department report, Ferguson’s city manager and four other employees also have left.