A Sacramento Sheriff’s Department police cruiser struck a 61-year-old woman on Saturday night in the ongoing protests over the death of unarmed Stephon Clark at the hands of police.
Protesters have shown up in full force for several demonstrations now, as the investigation into the shooting of Stephon Clark continues. On Saturday, hundreds of protesters took part in a rally organized by former NBA star Matt Barnes, after details from the autopsy began to surface. According to CNN, the medical examiner revealed that Clark had been shot six times in the back and once in the side, suggesting to some that he was not a threat to officers at the time.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Later that night, a sheriff’s deputy driving by the protest got on his loud speaker, ordering the crowd to make way for his car. A 61-year-old woman carrying a sign that read “Stephon Clark Rest in Power” reportedly walked in front of the deputy’s vehicle, motioning for him to stop. Witnesses say that he accelerated and struck her, then drove away, not checking to see if she was all right.
“The vehicle accelerated and struck her, accelerated very fast and struck her violently and she fell to the ground,” said Guy Danilowitz, a legal observer who recorded the hit and run on video. “It was a very fast acceleration, not the way you would move with people around.”
The woman, whose name is Wanda Cleveland, according to The Sacramento Bee, suffered minor injuries. She lay on the ground until an ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital. Other witnesses spoke to the outlet, confirming that the driver sped off after hitting Cleveland.
“I heard wheels spin. And then I saw her body flung to the curb,” said Tifanei Ressl-Moyer. “The vehicle sped off and some protesters went after them.”
One witness said that he caught the patrol car’s number on camera, and reported it to the California Highway Patrol. However, he says that they declined to take down the information. Now, users on Twitter and Facebook are calling on Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones to fire the deputy responsible for the crash.
Sgt. Shaun Hampton, sheriff’s spokesman, said in a release that protesters the vehicle “sustained scratches, dents, and a shattered rear window” caused by “vandals in the crowd.”
CHP will investigate the accident, an official told ABC News.
The outrage over the autopsy is still boiling as well. Dr. Bennet Omalu, who performed the autopsy, estimated that it took about ten minutes for Clark to pass away after he was shot. Body camera footage shows police refusing to help Clark for at least five minutes, and calling for him to comply with a number of orders as he lay bleeding. Police claim that they mistook Clark’s white iPhone for a gun.
The 22-year-old victim was a father of two.
