Curfew city set for teenager's funeral

Police have increased security as the family were attending the funeral of a young black man who was shot by police and sparked three days of rioting Cincinnati.

The city was generally calm overnight, the second night of a curfew enacted by the mayor.

It is hoped a turning point has been reached after a week of anger and violence resulting from the shooting of Timothy Thomas, 19.

Thomas, who was unarmed, was the fourth black man killed by Cincinnati police since November.

His funeral was planned for this afternoon at a church in Over-the-Rhine, an impoverished district north of the city centre that was the scene of most of the rioting.

"Saturday, we believe, is a crucial day for us," Police Chief Thomas Streicher said.

Mayor Charles Luken reluctantly extended the city-wide curfew last night. The 8pm-6am curfew went into effect on Thursday night, following three consecutive nights of rioting in several predominantly black districts.

Eighty-six people have been arrested and officers put out two fires in trash containers.

The city's safety director resigned on Friday in what was seen as a victory for critics demanding changes at the police department. Kent Ryan, 55, cited personal and health reasons. He had suffered from chest pains earlier in the week. "It is his decision," Mr Luken said. "That's what I want to underscore."

Black leaders had been asking for the resignations of Streicher and Ryan, who oversaw police operations.