Miguel sent me a copy of this video earlier. We wanted to wait until more facts were available and a buddy of mine came through on that front.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCEbEASHEcR/
Yes, a protester shot at a person in his vehicle.
The Herald Extra reported the story.
Protest aftermath: Police seeking information regarding shooting, hit-and-run incidents
Officers with the Provo City Police Department are investigating several allegations of violence on both sides of the End Police Brutality Provo counter protest down University Avenue — which resulted in the shooting of a driver who was attempting to force his way through protesters.
The protest was organized to counter a “Back the Blue” event also held in downtown Provo on Monday evening.
Police say that both the police rally and counter protest coincided without incident until just after 8:30 p.m. At that time, Provo city police received a call regarding gunshots and a potential hit-and-run. Sometime later, authorities received another call about a possible shooting victim that had been checked into Utah Valley Hospital.
Based on video footage captured by other protesters, a white SUV was driving south on University Avenue before pulling into the right lane in an attempt to turn onto Center Street, said Deputy Chief of Police John Geyerman.
Several protesters began approaching the vehicle as it was attempting to force its way through and a male protester ran up to the SUV on the passenger side, pointed a handgun at the driver, and shot one round through the window, striking the driver.
The driver accelerated southbound onto University in an attempt to get to safety, Geyerman said.
The male protester who is seen shooting into the vehicle ran after the white SUV and shot a second round through the rear passenger window. Video footage then shows the protester concealing the firearm and continuing to protest.
Reports indicate that same male protester later approached another vehicle at 500 N. and University Avenue, striking and breaking the window with the same handgun, Geyerman said.
Police are investigating, there is a victim, and he was injured and hospitalized.
The protester with the gun apparently attacked a second vehicle.
This looks like an ambush. A dozen people surround the car to slow it down so one could take a shot at the driver. Whether the shooter coordinated with the other protesters or not, slowing the vehicle down was key to the driver getting hit.
Cars are not bulletproof.
IANAL but it seems if this is the new tactic for protesters against cars, slowing down is a bad idea.
The vehicle in the video is a early Ford Excursion. Even with the smallest engine configuration, that is still 7,200 lbs of truck powered by a 350 ft-lbs V8. Bowling over protesters like skittle pins is not difficult for a truck like that.
It not just about getting pulled out and beaten.
It’s about getting shot through your side window.
If I have my kids in the back seat I’m not slowing down for fuck all.
Driving a 7,000 lbs, 410 HP, 3/4-ton truck, physics is on my side and it’s the protesters who need to get the fuck out the way.
Another thing for me to consider is that if I’m driving my classic car in the summer, there’s a 99% chance the windows are down. Given that they’re manual, I’d only be able to roll up the driver’s window, not the other three. Inadvertently getting into a protest and surrounded would be extra dangerous for me in that vehicle.
Not a “protester”, a terrorist.
Slowing down initially is reasonable. But as soon as the guy with the gun showed up, the answer is “floor it”.
…bonus points if, in evading, you can render him (the would be shooter) a flaccid hood ornament, and, therefore, no longer a threat.
“Tag! You’re IT!”
I’ve been developing a suspicion that the purpose of car-swarming is to create martyrs.
This seems like further evidence for that hypothesis: when drivers are failing to run over members of the Swarm, start doing things to make drivers believe their lives are in danger.
I find it difficult to believe that the participants in these riots have a martyr level of commitment. However, I also think they believe they will not get run over either.
Curious how the “peaceful protesters” think they can ignore as many rules as they want, but think everyone else should adhere to all of the rules.
The candidates for martyrdom need not be privy to the grand plan; they need only join in the Swarm and believe that, somehow, by impeding traffic (which has historically been quite safe in this country) they are serving some greater good.
When drivers stop playing by the old rules, it’ll come as a nasty (but brief) surprise to the speed bumps.
The instigators, meanwhile, will reliably not be in the path of the vehicles.
Agree totally. The first martyrs will not be willing.
And, frankly, I am having a tough time generating any sympathy. Big difference between going to the protest and finding out it was really a riot, and standing in the street. IF you get hurt because of false advertising, that’s one thing. But, when you choose to get in front of a running vehicle, you are the problem.
Time to get a brush guard for the pickup, I guess.
They don’t have one for a Civic, do they?
Boss plows are junk. Get a Western. Also, not a vee. That will throw them. You want an expandable straight blade and roll them for a while before they dribble off the side.
If you’re going that route, just go for spikes.
Naw, A snow plow is a legitimate tool….
“Block The Humongous, at your peril!”
From my county sheriff’s office: “WE ARE NO LONGER SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS FOR CCW AS WE ARE BOOKED THROUGH THE END OF JULY.”
What’s that, a new way to inflict “waiting period” on people? Time to get Constitutional Carry in your state. Or the pre-CC rules NH used, which is that the town had 5 business days to process the permit application, failing which it was deemed approved by law.
Just thought of something: the Bethel, OH counter-protest, when one of the counter-demonstrators sucker-punched the idiot, the community identified him and helped the police arrest him.
Any bets on whether the “demonstrators” here will help identify the shooter in this case?
Holy hell that article! Violence on both sides, protesters deescalated…
That’s some Baghdad Bob stuff!
Classic ambush. Use protesters to pin the target in the kill zone while the shooter engages the target.
And, the first rule of kill zone, is to unass the kill zone.
Some argue that it is best to do so *into* the ambush.
Might be difficult to do in the scenario posited.
Maybe I saw it wrong but it looks like there were 2 shooters
Man that guy after being shot showed amazing restraint, all of those people are extremely lucky he didn’t just floor it immediately.
I also thought there was a second guy pointing a gun, if you watch the video the guy at the very end as the truck speeds off into the distance looks like he is holding a handgun and pointing it towards the truck, it could be something else but the stance looks like he is aiming.
I too do not own a vehicle with functional ac… So I frequently have my window(s) down. I’ve started to just keep it to the driver’s side to mitigate that risk.
The more cars get swarmed the more it reminds me of videos you’d see our of Iraq where a car just rolls up and starts shooting and speeds off. It’s not exactly what’s happening here but makes me say how long until that happens, on either side for that matter.