A truck driver who was caught on camera speeding into a crowd of protestors on a Minneapolis bridge has been released without any charges, Fox News reports.
On Sunday, video footage emerged of a semitrailer driven by Bogdan Vechirko speeding toward a crowd of peaceful protesters on a closed interstate in Minneapolis. Per Reuters, the crowd had assembled on both lanes of the I-35W bridge.
You can see the footage below (Warning - some people will find it distressing):The heart-stopping footage shows people quickly fleeing for safety, as the huge truck comes barreling toward them.
According to the Guardian, people reportedly threw their bicycles in front of the truck in an effort to successfully slow it down.
Once the truck had come to a stop, Vechirko was pulled from the vehicle and beaten by the crowd. Protestors also smashed the windscreen of the vehicle.
The crowd then handed Vechirko over to the police and he was arrested.
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."
Per Fox9 News, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office later revealed that Vechirko was being held on suspicion of assault. However, it was revealed yesterday that despite the case still being under investigation, Vechirko was released without charges.
County attorney Mike Freeman later confirmed the news, stating that the County Attorney’s Office had until noon Tuesday to hold Vechirko without charges before they had to release him.
According to the Star Tribune, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has said in a statement: "Investigators are in the process of gathering additional information and answers to aid in the charging decision."
A law enforcement official who witnessed the incident also told Fox News that it appeared to be an accident - despite Minnesota State Patrol describing his actions as "disturbing".
Vechirko currently works as an independent contractor for the trucking company Kenan Advantage Group (KAG). Writing in a statement on Sunday, KAG said:
"Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this past week. We have been informed of an incident involving one of our independent contractors in Minneapolis, MN [Minnessota] during recent protests.
"We will be cooperating fully with the investigating authorities in the days ahead. It would be inappropriate to comment at this time until we have additional facts, as the investigation is in its early stages."
This past week, mass demonstrations have erupted across the US and other major cities around the globe.
These protests - some peaceful, some violent - are calling out the systemic injustices carried out against black people, not least seen by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
They are also demanding an end to police brutality and the racism that is so deeply entrenched in America and the western world.
The message is simple: Black lives matter.
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