BREAKING NEWS: Semi-truck speeds into a crowd of George Floyd protesters gathered on a Minneapolis highway
- Video showed the semi-truck speeding toward protesters on Interstate 35 at about 6pm Sunday
- Protesters taking up all lanes of traffic scattered to get out of the rig’s path
- It did not appear that anyone was hit before the truck came to a stop in the road
- Protesters approached the driver’s door and pulled him onto the road before police arrived
- The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said the unnamed driver was placed under arrest before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries
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A semi-truck barreled into a line of George Floyd protesters marching on a closed interstate near downtown Minneapolis on Sunday night.
Video captured the massive rig speeding down the I-35W bridge at about 6pm local time as protesters taking up all lanes of traffic fled out of its path.
It did not appear that the truck hit anyone before it came to a stop in the middle of the road.
Protesters were seen approaching the driver’s door and pulling him onto the roadway before police arrived to control the scene.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) said the driver, who was not identified, was placed under arrest before being taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Authorities said the driver’s motives were unclear but his actions appeared to be deliberate.
A semi-truck barreled into a line of George Floyd protesters marching on Interstate 35 in Minneapolis on Sunday night
Hundreds of protesters scattered as the truck sped directly at them while they marched across all 10 lanes of traffic
Dozens of protesters approached the semi-truck after it came to a stop in the roadway
The protesters were seen pulling the driver onto the roadway before police arrived to control the scene. The driver was placed under arrest and hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries
Interstate 35 was closed on Sunday as hundreds of protesters gathered to march south across all 10 lanes of traffic.
It’s unclear how the semi-truck, which appeared to be an oil tanker, managed to gain access to the roadway.
The truck was traveling northbound when it came upon the demonstration and maintained a high speed as protesters scattered.
After the truck came to a stop, several protesters approached and pulled the male driver out of the front seat.
MDPS said the driver was injured but did not offer any specifics about the apparent confrontation with protesters.
Minnesota Gov Tim Walz said of the incident: ‘Law enforcement responded immediately. Had to clear the bridge. Incident underscores the volatile situation we have, don’t know motives of the driver at this time. At this point in time to not have tragedy and many deaths is an amazing thing.’
Protesters are seen pulling the driver out of the rig after it came to a stop in the road
It did not appear that anyone was hit by the semi-truck. Protesters are seen near the truck after the driver was removed
Several police cars quickly arrived to de-escalate the situation after the protesters confronted the driver
An aerial view shows police dispersing the crowds that gathered around the semi-truck
A man is seen looking inside the cabin of the truck that ‘deliberately’ sped into the line of protesters
The interstate incident came on the sixth day of nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, a black man who was killed when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25.
The interstate incident came on the sixth day of nationwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd (pictured), a black man who was killed when Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25
Viral video showed Chauvin and three other officers pinning Floyd, who was handcuffed, to the ground as they arrested him for allegedly attempting to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill.
Floyd was heard pleading: ‘I can’t breathe’ while Chauvin continued pressing his knee into the man’s neck for eight minutes.
The 46-year-old did not have a pulse when he was placed in an ambulance, and was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The footage prompted fevered outrage as thousands demanded that Chauvin and the other officers be charged with murder.
Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Friday.
But protests persisted into the weekend as activists railed against police brutality and racial injustice.
Demonstrations in 25 major cities led to numerous clashes between protesters and police seeking to keep things from spiraling out of control – often using rubber bullets and tear gas.
More than 1,300 people have been arrested during protests in cities across the country as several governors mobilized the National Guard for assistance.
A viral video captured the moment Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while the handcuffed suspect repeatedly cried out that he couldn’t breathe