Protests Sparked In Tacoma After Police Officer Drives Into Crowd

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Police and other law enforcement officials stand in a line as protesters approach in the street in front of the City-County Building on Sunday in Tacoma, Wash.

Ted S. Warren/AP

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Ted S. Warren/AP

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A demonstrator adds fuel to a burning barricade in an intersection in downtown Tacoma during an anti-police protest on Sunday in Tacoma, Wash.

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A demonstrator adds fuel to a burning barricade in an intersection in downtown Tacoma during an anti-police protest on Sunday in Tacoma, Wash.

David Ryder/Getty Images

The demonstrations were sparked by an incident Saturday night after police responded to a reports of street racing near the intersection of S. 9th Street and Pacific Ave., according to KCPQ, a Fox affiliate in Seattle.

At 6:19 p.m. Saturday police began receiving calls about several vehicles and roughly 100 people blocking the intersection, according to police. When officers arrived on the scene, police officials said, they began to clear the area «for the safety of those gathered and people trying to use the street.

At one point, the unnamed officer, who was inside his service vehicle, was surrounded by a crowd, and law enforcement officials say the officer attempted to «extricate himself from an unsafe position.

«People hit the body of the police vehicle and its windows as the officer was stopped in the street, Tacoma police said a statement.

«The officer, fearing for his safety, tried to back up, but was unable to do so because of the crowd. The officer had his lights and sirens activated. While trying to extricate himself from an unsafe position, the officer drove forward striking one individual and may have impacted others.

Police said that once he was away from the crowd he called for medical aid and one person was taken to the hospital.

«I thought what we would see once police arrived was a settling or breaking up of the scene, Mark Mathura, one of the people who posted video of Saturday’s incident online told Seattle-area member station KUOW.

«But what happened was the exact opposite, Mathura said.

«I am concerned that our department is experiencing another use of deadly force incident, said Interim Police Chief Mike Ake, in a statement following the incident. He vowed the police department was cooperating with the independent investigation.

Takoma Mayor Victoria Woodards issued a statement Sunday saying she was «deeply saddened by the police officer’s actions.

«As a use of deadly force, this incident is being taken very seriously and the scene has appropriately been turned over to the Pierce County Force Investigation Team for independent investigation, Woodards said. «As we learn the facts of the case, I have called on the City Manager and Police Chief to ensure that everyone involved is held accountable.