It has been one week since the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, and since then, protests and riots have ensued across the US and major cities across the world.
Sadly, however, as people come together calling for justice, an end to police brutality, and for the discrimination against black people to finally stop, chaos has also erupted.
On Sunday, video footage emerged of a semitrailer speeding towards a crowd of peaceful protesters on a closed interstate in Minneapolis, Reuters reports. The crowd has assembled on both lanes of the I-35W bridge.
The heart-stopping footage then shows people quickly fleeing for safety, as the huge truck comes barreling toward them.
You can see the footage below (Warning - some people may find it distressing):According to the Guardian, people reportedly threw their bicycles in front of the truck in an effort to successfully slow it down.
However, once the truck had come to a stop, the driver was pulled from the vehicle and beaten by the crowd. They also smashed the windscreen of the vehicle.
The driver was later arrested.
Footage of the driver being pulled from the truck can be seen below (Warning - some readers will find this footage distressing):Per Fox9 News, the driver was later identified by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office as Bogdan Vechirko. Police have since said that Vechirko is being held on suspicion of assault.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) had previously announced that Vechirko was taken to Hennepin Healthcare with non-life threatening injuries.
Thankfully, DPS officials added that it appeared none of the protesters were seriously injured.
Minnesota state patrol later said in a tweet:
"Very disturbing actions by a truck driver on I-35W, inciting a crowd of peaceful demonstrators. The truck driver was injured & taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He is under arrest. It doesn’t appear any protesters were hit by the truck."
On Friday it was revealed that Derek Chauvin, the fired police officer recorded kneeling on Floyd's neck, had been detained and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
More on Chauvin's arrest below:
The 19-year veteran was arrested by the state’s bureau of criminal apprehension.
Hennepin County attorney Mike Freeman revealed in a statement: "We are in the process of continuing to review the evidence. There may be additional charges later."
Earlier today, Fox News reported that Chauvin had been transported to a maximum-security prison.