Tacoma police cruiser runs over people while responding to call

On Saturday night a Tacoma police cruiser ran over a person after responding to a reported street racing incident in the South 900 Block of Pacific Avenue.

A spokeswoman for Tacoma Police Department, Washington, Officer Wendy Haddow, said the department started receiving calls at 6:19 p.m. that a car was driving erratically with further reports of street racing in the area.

An officer arrived on scene and called for the crowd to disperse. People in the crowd surrounded the cruiser, and began hitting the vehicle.

Haddow says the officer, fearing for their safety, tried to reverse, but was unable to due to the crowd. The officer then drove forward, police say, “striking one individual and may have impacted others.”

However, video of the incident shows the police car drive through a crowd of people knocking several of them over, and completely running over one person.

The Pierce County Investigation Team is taking lead on the incident, because this is considered use of deadly force. The Puyallup Police Department has been assigned the investigation.

Two people were transported to hospital; one has been released, the status on the second person is unknown.

A spokesperson for Puyallup Police says their team will work to compile the facts of the incident.

After the incident, a small group of about two dozen protesters surrounded the scene. At least one person was subsequently arrested.