Shocking moment Tacoma police cruiser runs over a person at intersection

A man has been run over by a police cruiser that plowed through a crowd of people as they watched street racers do burnouts in Washington state. 

Disturbing video footage shows the cruiser backing up about three feet before accelerating forward and mowing down the group of pedestrians in Tacoma around 6.20pm on Saturday night. 

One person can be seen lying on the pavement as the police car’s wheels rolled over him. He was taken to a local hospital and his condition is unclear.

Tacoma police said the crowd of about 100 people were blocking the intersection when police arrived on scene. They then ‘began clearing the intersection and people for the safety of those gathered and people trying to use the street’.

At that point, police said the cruiser was surrounded by the crowd who hit the car and tried to smash through the windows. 

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

The video shows several other people being hit by the cruiser. It’s unclear how badly they were injured. 

The officer behind the wheel then ‘stopped at a point of safety’ and called for help, according to Tacoma Police. 

Shocking video footage shows a police car in Tacoma, Washington, run over a pedestrian on Saturday night

The pedestrian is seen above after he was caught underneath the tires of the police vehicle

Eyewitness accounts posted to social media indicate that the man did not suffer life-threatening injuries

Eyewitness accounts posted to social media indicate that the person who was completely underneath the SUV’s wheels is not believed to have suffered any life-threatening injuries.

Moments before the incident, the crowd of about 100 people had gathered to watch several drivers perform circular ‘burnouts’ in which they revved their engines while their cars spun inside the intersection. 

A witness told The News Tribune that a fire truck drove through the intersection and briefly interrupted the burnout session.

But the group of vehicles quickly reformed and the crowds once again observed the drivers as they were doing their maneuvers. 

Moments before the incident, some three dozen people had gathered to watch several drivers perform circular ‘burnouts’ in which they revved their engines while their cars spun inside the intersection

Police said they received reports that up to 100 people had blocked the intersection to watch street racers (above) do burnouts

Soon afterward, a Tacoma police vehicle appeared on the scene. 

According to the witness, that’s when several people started to gather near the police vehicle.

‘A lot of people swarmed in that direction (of the police car),’ the witness, Mark, said. 

‘They were intending to block him.’   

Matthew Harrington claims that he was one of the pedestrians mowed down by the police car, though his injuries do not appear serious. He is seen right showing an injury he sustained to his head

Harrington says he was among the group of pedestrians standing in front of the police car before it plowed into them

The image above taken by Harrington’s cell phone shows the police car mow down a group of at least four pedestrians

In the cell phone video, the cop car’s headlights approach and ram into the crowd. Harrington, who is not seen in the clip, appears to be sent flying to the pavement. All the while, he continues recording on his cell phone

Matthew Harrington claims that he was one of the pedestrians mowed down by the police car, though his injuries do not appear serious.

Harrington posted video and images on Facebook indicating that he was among the group of people standing in front of the cop car just moments before it plowed through the crowd.

In the cellphone video, the cop car’s headlights approach and ram into the crowd.

Harrington, who is not seen in the clip, appears to be sent flying to the pavement. All the while, he continues recording on his cell phone. 

He wrote on his Facebook page: ‘I was ran over by the Tacoma Police at 6:30pm 1/23/21 on pacific and 9th Street down town Tacoma Wa.’

A crowd of protesters started gathering at the scene on Saturday night. 

Tacoma Police Chief Mike Ake said that the incident will be investigated as ‘deadly force’. 

‘I am concerned that our department is experiencing another use of deadly force incident,’ he said. 

‘I send my thoughts to anyone who was injured in tonight’s event, and am committed to our Department’s full cooperation in the independent investigation and to assess the actions of the department’s response during the incident.’  

City Manager Elizabeth Pauli told the News-Tribune that the officer involved will be placed on leave. 

Pauli said the Pierce County Force Investigation Team will handle the investigation.