Protest erupts after cop drives cruiser into crowd
TACOMA, Wash. – Protesters set a large fire, damaged buildings and marched with signs late Sunday in response to a police car driving through a crowd and injuring at least two people the day before.
The demonstrators gathered near the intersection where the police car plowed through a crowd of pedestrians while responding to a reported street race Saturday evening. Video of the incident was widely shared online.
The two people went to hospitals with injuries that weren't life-threatening. One person has been released.
Sunday evening, demonstrators gathered at a park, then marched through downtown where windows were shattered and buildings were tagged with spray paint. Several items were set up to create a barricade in the street where a large trash can was set ablaze. The demonstrators passed by the Pierce County Jail.
There were no known injuries from the demonstration, police said in a tweet, and the protest was cleared around 11 p.m. local time.
The officer involved in the incident Saturday is a 58-year-old man who has been with the department for 291⁄2 years, Tacoma police said. He was surrounded by a crowd after arriving at the reported street race. People hit the cruiser, and the officer feared for his safety, according to police. The officer drove forward through the crowd, then stopped and called for medical aid, police said.
The officer was placed on paid administrative leave. Protesters want the officer fired. The Pierce County Force Investigation Team is looking into Saturday's incident. The team is composed of law enforcement officials from around the county and community representatives, The Seattle Times reported.
Police said Sunday that while officers observed the protest, three people tried to get onto the roof of a building downtown. Two were armed with a handgun and knives and were arrested. The third got away.