News: Tacoma officer placed on leave after driving through crowd, injuring two people at street race

TACOMA, WA – According to East Bay Times, A Tacoma officer has been placed on leave after driving through a crowd that surrounded him, injuring two people, at a street race on Saturday night.

Police say the incident occurred after around 100 people gathered at an intersection in downtown Tacoma, blocking traffic as they watched cars participating in a race spin in circles.

Authorities were notified of the street racers around 6 p.m. and a Tacoma officer responded to the scene around 7 p.m.

After he arrived, a crowd swarmed the patrol car. When the officer attempted to alert and disperse the crowd using a bullhorn, the crowd started pounding on the car’s glass windows.

According to a statement from Tacoma Police, the officer was blocked from behind by more pedestrians, and sped forward through the crowd because he feared his safety.

A video circulating social media shows multiple people struck and at least one person run over by the patrol car.

One person was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of cuts. According Puyallup Police Captain Dan Pashon, another pedestrian received treatment at the hospital and was released.

The officer will be on leave while the circumstances of the incident are investigated by The Pierce County Force Investigation Team, according to City Manager Elizabeth Pauli.

If more information regarding this developing story are released, we will update this blog.

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