Four Police Officers Hit By Car Amid Ferguson Protest

It was a scene of blood and mangled bodies and bicycles after a car drove up on a curb striking four police officers at a Ferguson protest in Denver. The incident happened on Colfax Avenue as the police officers were there to protect the students of East High School who marched downtown to the Capital in honor of Michael Brown.

The Denver Post reports that a black Mercedes suddenly accelerated, ran up on the sidewalk, and slammed into the officers. Officer John Adsit was dragged dozens of yards before lying critically injured on the sidewalk fighting for his life.

Taylor Ellison, a sophomore at East High School told the Denver Post he saw Officer Adsit get hit, and he was so badly injured Ellison was sure the officer was dead.

“He was just lying there. His pants were ripped. He wasn’t moving…. Listening to people say ‘F the police!’ — and then they get hit trying to make sure you aren’t hit by a car.”

Ellison shook his head in disbelief.

The students organized the Ferguson protest with the permission of teachers and school officials. What started out as a small march to the Capital with thirty students quickly grew to close to 1,000 protestors.

As the students marched, holding signs and a banner that read, “WE ARE FERGUSON,” tons of people off the streets joined them and began chanting, “Hands up! Don’t shoot!” according to the Denver Post.

The Capital was filled with a huge crowd, not only from the East High School event, but at the very same time there was a large Sand Creek massacre commemoration.

Around noon, the event began to simmer down and the students began walking down Colfax Avenue. It was at that time when the officers were stopping traffic for the safety of the students that they were struck by the car.

Witnesses report that the driver of the Mercedes, a man who appeared to be in his late 40s, accelerated through the intersection and into the officers.

Authorities have not yet released an official determination of what caused the incident. However, Police Cmdr. Matt Murray told ABC News that the driver of the Mercedes had a medical issue that police believe occurred before he struck the officers, which caused the accident.

“We do not believe this is an intentional act, and we have no reason to believe it is related to the protests.”

However, eye-witnesses have quite a different story of what they saw and experienced.

Doug Acton, a passenger in a stopped semi-trailer which was right beside the Mercedes before the incident shared what he saw with the Denver Post.

“He was honking his horn and waving his hands up with the protesters before he drove into the officers. He gunned it straight at them.”

Roberta Martinez was actually standing at a bus stop near the police officers when the Mercedes came barreling toward her. She is thankful she was able to jump out of the way in the nick of time.

“It sounded like he stepped on the gas and just went out of control. I should have been hit. The Lord was watching me. He had to be. I can’t believe I’m still standing here.”

Police One reports that by-standers and students were completely distraught and in tears as they spoke to investigators.

East High School senior, Lily Mogen said, “It was horrifying! It was a guy driving really fast and going over the curbs.”

Amarae Moland is a sophomore who helped to organize the protest. According to Police One, she is grateful that the police officers escorted them during their event, and like her fellow students, is distressed about the ordeal.

“A lot of the students felt bad. I saw one of them, they were trying to get him up and he couldn’t really get up. I was really surprised and devastated. I didn’t expect anything like that to happen nor want that to happen. We were trying to get our voices out there, and it’s sad that something this tragic had to occur. We were running through the streets, and the cops were just there to help and ended up getting hurt.”

Currently, three of the police officers have been treated and released from the hospital. Officer John Adsit, a nine-year veteran, had to undergo several hours of surgery and is not out of the woods as he remains in critical condition.

Officer Adsit’s family made a statement as reported by the Denver Post in which they thanked the public for their thought and asked for their continued prayers.

The driver of the Mercedes is in stable condition.

As protests continue, the public grows increasingly concerned about more protests, as revealed by Huffington Post, following the decision “not to indict NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died after Pantaleo put him in a chokehold” during an arrest.

[Photo Credit: EpicTimes.com, DenverPost.com.]