Last night was a difficult one for police departments across the country as they tried to keep protests and riots under control.
In St. Louis, MO four police officers were shot. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, just after midnight, the officers were shot downtown. Luckily, none of their injuries are life-threatening. Police Chief John Hayden believed someone acted alone in the incident that left two officers wounded in the leg, one in the foot and another in the arm.
Richmond, VA also experienced a targeted attack on police. The incident took place around 1:25 when officers were investigating a report of an armed individual, according to NBC12. Upon their arrival, gunfire erupted leaving one of the officers with serious injuries including gunshots to the torso. The other officer is said to have non-life threatening injuries. The suspect also incurred gunshot wounds.
The next incident takes us out west to Las Vegas where two protest-related shootings took place. An officer was shot in the head at protests near the Circus Circus casino which is on the north end of the Las Vegas strip. The officer is on life support.
A source told 8 News Now, as one officer was in a struggle with a protester, another person walked up and shot the officer in the back of the head. The shooting suspect was taken into custody around 2 a.m.
Before the incident occurred, reports say crowds of protestors were throwing rocks and bottles at police officers.
The other incident took place when a subject wearing body armor was approached by police and the subject reached for a firearm:
According to Sheriff Lombardo, “At approximately 11:22 p.m., officers encountered a subject who was armed with multiple firearms and appeared to be wearing body armor,” Lombardo said. “During the interaction the subject reached for a firearm and the officers engaged him The suspect was struck by gunfire and transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.”
An NYPD officer was attacked in the Bronx and it was caught on film:
NYPD Cop attacked in the Bronx. I guess the critics will now say he overreacted. NYPD Cops defend yourselves, you are alone! pic.twitter.com/424w5bZbC6
— SBA (@SBANYPD) June 2, 2020
Based on the video, it appears that the officer was not seriously injured.
In another incident in the Bronx, a police officer was hit by a speeding car. Warning: Explicit Language:
This looks like murder. A police officer was just run over by a speeding car in the Bronx. pic.twitter.com/fkrxzMEetx
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 2, 2020
Upstate New York suffered an attack on police officers as well. According to WKBW:
According to New York State Police around 10:00pm, a 2002 Ford Explorer, traveling northbound in the southbound lane at Bailey Avenue and Decker Street failed to stop for a law enforcement blockade. Troopers say the SUV plowed through the blockade, hitting a Trooper and a Buffalo Police Officer, it then ran over another Trooper that was on the ground. That’s when investigators say Troopers fired shots at the vehicle.
The SUV was stopped and both the driver and passengers were taken into custody. One of the passengers did suffer a gunshot wound. The driver and passenger with injuries were both taken to the Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), they are expected to survive.
The trooper has a shattered pelvis and a broken leg.
We will continue to monitor this situation over the coming days.
