Demonstrator Shoots Bystander at Anti-Police Rally in Utah
A bystander was shot after being surrounded by anti-police demonstrators in Provo, Utah on Monday evening.
The incident was caught on video, although the suspect has not yet been identified. The suspect appears among anti-police demonstrators.
“A male protestor ran to the SVU on the passenger side, pointed a handgun at driver and shot one round through the window,” the Provo police wrote in a statement. “The driver, who was struck by the bullet, hit the gas trying to leave the situation. The same protestor ran after the vehicle and shot a second round that went through the rear passenger window. The video then shows that the protestor conceals the firearm and continues to protest.”
The department added, “This same protestor later approached another vehicle…striking and breaking the window with the handgun.”
Police said that two rallies had been approved for Monday evening, apparently both pro- and anti-police. The rallies remained peaceful until about 8:30 p.m., when police received reports of gunfire.
Demonstrations have erupted across the country since the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed during his arrest by Minneapolis police officers. Many of those demonstrations have led to violence, with widespread looting and rioting in New York, Chicago, Boston, and elsewhere.
Cities have also seen an uptick in shootings since the demonstrations began. New York recorded 59 shootings last week, up from 26 in the previous year, while Minneapolis has also seen a sharp rise in shootings since the civil unrest following Floyd’s death.
