A shocking video clip widely circulated on social media shows a New York City police officer being struck by a vehicle early Tuesday morning in the Bronx in what appears to be an intentional hit-and-run.
The video, shared by Twitter user Ian Miles Cheong, shows a black sedan speeding towards the officer and ramming into him as he is sent flying up into the air before hitting a nearby vehicle and landing on the street.
Hit-and-Run Caught on Tape
"That's a f–ing cop," the woman recording the footage can be heard saying after the hit-and-run. "Oh sh-t!" Several bystanders, including other police officers, are then seen rushing to the victim's rescue before an NYPD vehicle arrives at the scene and the officer is escorted into the vehicle. "This looks like a murder," Cheong captioned the clip. "A police officer was just run over by a speeding car in the Bronx."
Officer in Critical Condition
The incident took place at the intersection of East 170th Street and Walton Avenue in Mt. Eden. The officer, whose identity is not yet known, was investigating break-ins in the area when he was run over at approximately 12:45 a.m., according to a tweet from NBC New York reporter Myles N. Miller. The sergeant was then taken to Lincoln hospital where he is said to be in serious but stable condition with unspecified injuries.
Attacks on Police Officers in NYC
The video has since been viewed more than a million times and racked up hundreds of comments on Twitter with many alleging it was an act of revenge after an NYPD vehicle drove into crowds of George Floyd protestors on Saturday, May 30.
The incident takes place as protests have spiraled out of control across America leading to clashes between civilians and law enforcement. Protestors are expressing their anger over the unlawful killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man who died after being pinned down by a Minneapolis police officer with his knee over his neck.
The hit-and-run incident in New York City is the second such incident to take place in the city over the last 24 hours. Early Monday morning, another officer was rammed by an SUV as he tried to make an arrest after chasing down looters. Video footage of the incident, published by New York Daily News, shows an SUV with Wisconsin license plates speeding away after the hit and run. That officer was taken to Bellevue Hospital and remains in stable condition.
