Man Who Drove Car Into Black Lives Matter Protest in Seattle And Shot A Man Has Been Arrested

A man who drove his car into a group of protesters and shot someone as he fled the scene in Seattle has been arrested.

According to NBC News, the suspect is currently in custody and a gun was recovered at the scene. The suspect’s name has not yet been released. Video of the incident has been shared across social media.

Police confirmed on Twitter one man was shot but added no one else was injured. One witness told NBC affiliate KING that the man who was shot tried to stop the vehicle from driving into the crowd. The incident led to a clash between protesters who wanted to continue and police officers who tried to disperse the crowd using tear gas and pepper spray.

The man who was shot is Dan Gregory, the brother of former Maryland basketball player Dino Gregory. Dino later posted a picture on Instagram of his brother Dan laying in a hospital bed, calling him a hero for his actions.

A man drove through 11th and hit a barricade. He exited his car and flashed a gun. The police say they have the man in custody and have the gun. They asked for anybody who is hurt to come to the barricade. A man was on the ground on 11th and Pine. He’s up now. pic.twitter.com/47eZZOvG59

— Chase Burns (@chaseburnsy) June 8, 2020

Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best were largely criticized by state lawmakers a day earlier for the aggressive nature of the police responding to protests. At a news conference that ended less than an hour before the incident Sunday, Durkan said she would freeze spending on police technology, weapons, vehicles, and buildings until further talks with community members. Durkan also promised to commit $100 million in budget allocations for community needs. However, she said the money would not come from the police budget.

In an open letter to Durkan on Sunday, the head of Seattle’s police union blamed Saturday’s unrest on “criminal agitators who continue to attempt to provoke police.”

Seattle City Council President Lorena Gonzalez tweeted Saturday night she was “outraged” by the police response to the protests over the weekend. “This is NOT what de-escalation looks like!”