The officer has not been identified in the police statement.
Some of the protesters blocked the streets with signs and traffic cones near where the incident took place on Sunday evening. Others knocked down trash cans and set fire to their contents, while a few destroyed windows on cars and buildings. Officials are still assessing the damage, Haddow said in an email to CNN.
According to Haddow, South Sound 911 Records employees had to be evacuated from their building after windows were broken open Sunday night.
No arrests were made during the protest, but two people were arrested leading up to the protest, Haddow said.
Officer drove through the crowd after he was surrounded, police say
Once on the scene, officers found a number of vehicles and about 100 people blocking the intersection, which they began clearing “for the safety of those gathered and those attempting to use the street,” the release said.
“He was afraid they would break his glass,” she said, urging him to run quickly, the News Tribune reported.
Lights and sirens were activated as the crowd continued to surround the vehicle, the release said. The officer in the SUV tried to reverse, but was unable to do so due to the crowd, according to the release.
“Fearing for his safety,” the release said, “the officer drove forward and hit one person and possibly had an impact on others,” while trying to get out of the “unsafe position.” Once the officer was “at a point of safety,” he called for medical attention, the release said.
The News Tribune reported that one person was ruptured in the collision and was transported to a local hospital.
Videos show an officer driving through the crowd
At least one graphic video of the incident circulating on social media shows the police vehicle with lights and sirens slowly moving closer to the crowd in front of the vehicle.
In the background you can hear an engine running and the vehicle reversing before accelerating forward into the crowd, knocking several people to the ground.
The vehicle then slows down a bit, as it appears to bounce while driving over something before passing through the intersection. The rear tires of the vehicle can be seen rolling over someone lying on the street.
A second video shot on the spot shows a white car doing donuts in the middle of the intersection and driving off just as officers arrive, just before the police vehicle is seen by the crowd.
In another video, the sound of a spinning engine is followed by a series of pounding and a person shouting twice, “Damn, they’re hitting a police car.”
Moments later you will hear another engine running and people scatter and start screaming, “Oh my God! Oh my God!” repeatedly. Seconds later, a smaller crowd is seen around what appears to be someone lying on the ground.
Mayor wants those involved to be held accountable
“As a use of deadly force, this incident is taken very seriously and the scene has been appropriately turned over to the Pierce County Force Investigation Team for independent investigation,” the mayor said.
“As we wait for more information, I want the community to know that I am deeply concerned and pray for everyone affected by last night’s events,” Woodards said. “I remain proud of Tacoma’s longstanding reputation as a place of strong, nonviolent advocacy and activism.”
The mayor has called on the city administrator and police chief to address all those involved in the incident.
Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli told CNN partner KING on Sunday that videos she watched of the incident were “gruesome.”
“I was shocked, those videos are very difficult to watch,” said Pauli. ‘I’m worried about the person who got run over. I feel concerned for those who witnessed that event. I feel concerned about our involved agents. ”
Interim Police Chief Mike Ake said in a press release, “I am concerned that our department is experiencing another incident of deadly violence.”
“I am sending my thoughts to everyone injured in tonight’s event and am committed to our department’s full cooperation in the independent investigation and to assess the actions of the department’s response during the incident,” Ake said .
CNN’s Carma Hassan, Claudia Dominguez and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report.