A terrifying incident took place on Saturday night in Tacoma. A police officer drove his car through a crowd due to which one person is said to be dead. Also, two other people were taken to the hospital at the time.
TPD said in its official press statement that along with other police units. The officer responded to the reports of an incident at the intersection of South 9th and Pacific Avenue in Tacoma at 6:20 p.m. on Saturday.
Once on scene, the officers found a number of vehicles and around 100 people blocking the intersection, which they began to clear “for the safety of those gathered and people trying to use the street,” the release said.
As the officers worked to clear the street, a crowd formed around the officer’s vehicle. They began throbbing on the windows, Tacoma police spokesperson Wendy Haddow told The News Tribune.
The spokesperson further released a statement that the officer was worried about the crowd breaking his glass and light and sirens, as people kept surrounding the SUV.
Officer, tried backing but was unable to, and fearing for his life he had no other option. But to drive forward in which doing so, he struck one individual and may have impacted others.
Once the officer was out of the dangerous position, he called for medical aid said the release.
The mayor wants those involved accountable.
Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said that she is “deeply concerned” by the incident. She told, “I continue to be proud of Tacoma’s long-standing reputation as a place of strong, non-violent advocacy and activism.”
She further informed that the incident was being taken seriously as deadly force. A special investigation team formed are already looking for an independent investigation.
The 58-year-old officer who is said to have been in the department for 30 years now has been placed on administrative leave.
The officer is still not been identified as public knowledge.
The investigation team has reported that no one has life-threatening injuries and one person has even been released from the hospital.
Some of the protesters Sunday night blocked streets with signs and traffic cones near where the incident occurred. Others overturned trashcans and lit the contents on fire, while a few smashed windows of cars and buildings.