SEATTLE — Chaos erupted in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood overnight.
Just after midnight Monday, police gave a warning after they said bottles and other things were thrown at them.
Eventually, they used flash bangs. Tear gas was also approved to be used on the crowd. This came 48 hours after the city addressed the violence and changes to police use of force, including a 30-day pause in using tear gas.
Seattle police live tweeted the events, saying that an incident commander gave several warnings to demonstrators to back up after someone threw a glass bottle. Police said other items such as rocks and fireworks were thrown as well.
The officers are taking heavy projectiles, coming from the crowd. A male, armed with a gun is in the intersection of 11th and Pine ST. CS gas has been authorized. In the interest of public and life safety, leave the area now.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) June 8, 2020
The crowd was also accused of shining laser pointers at officers.
Video from the scene showed at least one protester being hit by a flash bang.
Even though officers used pepper spray and flash bangs, the crowd did not disperse easily.
Protesters rebuilt a barricade that had been taken down.
A few blocks away, a dumpster fire was started near the Comet Tavern.
Earlier Sunday night, a driver rammed his car through a crowd, got out and shot a protester around 8:30 p.m.
The victim, a man in his mid to late 20s, was taken to Harborview Medical Center. Officials said he is in satisfactory condition.
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