A police officer was run over by an all-terrain vehicle in Missouri on Saturday night. The Kansas City police officer is currently recovering from severe injuries he sustained in the incident, which was captured on camera.
The officer, whose identity has not been released, was struck by an ATV near the intersection of East Truman Road and South Main Street.
Police were altered and dispatched to the scene shortly before 7 p.m., according to a report. Upon arrival, they discovered the injured officer, according to a report. Authorities later shared that the ATV driver was attempting to evade a deflation device that the officer had deployed.
In an audacious move, the driver performed a “wheelie,” which resulted in the ATV colliding with the officer and knocking him to the ground. The ATV driver then ran over the officer and fled the scene, per the report. The footage already circulating the internet begins with the officer and the driver mounted on the side of the vehicle. The policeman appears to be holding onto the ATV. It is unclear if the driver pushed his hand off, but the officer instantly fell off.
He quickly stands and runs towards the reversing vehicle, at which point the ATV driver performs the “wheelie” stunt, charging the vehicle forward and into the officer. The driver continues even when the policeman falls. However, the footage does not show the moment he reportedly ran over the officer, as they are obscured behind a police vehicle. Before the video ends, the ATV driver can be seen driving away.
The injured officer was transported to a hospital and was confirmed to have sustained critical head injuries, per the report. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas addressed the incident on social media, condemning the reckless actions of the driver and expressing his optimism about the officer’s recovery.
“Last night, a reckless ATV driver caused injuries to a Kansas City police officer, mayhem on our streets, and continued to display the lawlessness that too many dirt bike, stunt drivers, ATV users, racers, and others display on streets in dense areas of our city, Mayor Lucas wrote in a post. “We expect our officer to recover and pray he can return to normal service soon.”
