TACOMA, Wash — A demonstration of approximately 150 people near the site of an illegal street racing event that led to at least two people being injured by a Tacoma police officer turned destructive Sunday night.
A few small fires were set at or near the intersection of South 9th and Commerce streets. Demonstrators also reportedly broke windows and vandalized buildings.
Employees of South Sound 911 Records department were evacuated after windows to the building they occupy were broken.
There were no arrests made during the actual demonstration, according to a spokesperson for the Tacoma Police Department.
However, while monitoring the demonstration, witnesses observed three people in a secure building in the 700 block of Commerce Street who were trying to access the roof. Officers arrested two people armed with a handgun and knives. The third person remains on the loose.
The crowd dispersed sometime before midnight.
The damage is still being assessed.
There are no known injuries related to the demonstration.
The unrest in Tacoma followed an incident Saturday night that resulted in two people being hospitalized and a veteran officer being placed on paid leave.
Multiple vehicles and a crowd of approximately 100 people were blocking the intersection of South 9th Street and Pacific Avenue when officers arrived. Tacoma officers began clearing the crowd.
One officer in his police cruiser was surrounded by a crowd of people who began hitting the vehicle, according to the police department. "Fearing for his safety" and unable to reverse, he drove forward, striking at least one person.
Videos posted on social media show the officer's cruise driving over one person.
One person injured was released Sunday morning. No information has been provided regarding the second person.