A driver mowed down a protester Tuesday at a rally in Minneapolis, where people were demonstrating against a grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson, Mo. police Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
In footage shot by the Minnesota Star Tribune as well as another video obtained by local TV station KSTP, a driver could be seen plowing through a crowd of protesters and driving directly over one female demonstrator’s leg as she screamed in pain.
The videos showed the car screeching to a halt shortly after it rolled over the protester’s leg. A crowd immediately surrounded the car as people rushed to help the victim.
Paramedics treated the woman on the scene before an ambulance took her to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with very minor injuries, the Star Tribune reported.
Police did not take the driver into custody or ticket him, according to KSTP. Police told the news station that the incident was under investigation.
The protest was staged near the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct headquarters.
A Star Tribune reporter tweeted about the incident from the ground:
Moments after the woman was struck, a dozen demonstrators pounced on the hood of the vehicle, while others tried to free the victim.
— Libor Jany (@StribJany) November 25, 2014
Witnesses say that the woman’s leg was caught under the car. She’s being wheeled into an ambulance.
— Libor Jany (@StribJany) November 25, 2014
Other demonstrators are now standing, hand in hand, around the woman, who’s being treated by paramedics in the middle of the intersection.
— Libor Jany (@StribJany) November 25, 2014
Witnesses say the car, a teal station wagon, started honking at protesters blocking the intersection, before running down down a woman.
— Libor Jany (@StribJany) November 25, 2014
Watch below:
Now, if there is no charge here something is definitely being ‘fixed’.
She probably deserved it, looking like a demon charging the bumper and underside of the tires.
Was the driver white? ergo no charges
It appears to me that the driver’s view was blocked by people who were on the hood of the vehicle. Why does no one ask why there were people on the hood of the vehicle? Is that just OK?
The victim was situated in front of the vehicle in that blind spot. I don’t believe the driver can see the individual.
And then what does the crowd do? They start breaking out the windshield and attacking the car from all sides. Recalling the beating of Reginald Denny in the wake of the Rodney King brutality, it seems reasonable for the driver to react out of fear for their life.
As a driver, is it my fault that the Governor of Missouri and the DA conspired to free a killer cop for political reasons? So I have to submit to a mob? I don’t think so.
We need to get a grip. This is not the way to protest. I know that I personally wouldn’t rely on the mercy of an angry crowd.
So while I won’t win any popularity contests for saying so, there’s plenty of blame to go around for this unfortunate incident.
More video at Star Trib
You can hear the pissed off honking before running over people.
This looks like road rage.