Protesters clash with DC police for second night over fatal moped crash
Protesters chanted “Justice for Karon” as they made their way from the scene of the crash to a precinct
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Protests erupted in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday — for the second straight night — over the death of a Black moped driver who police said collided with another vehicle shortly after officers activated their emergency lights.
Reports indicated that some protests were peaceful, but violent clashes with police eventually broke out, Fox 5 DC reported a protester threw a firework at officers that reportedly caused several to suffer minor injuries. Andy Ngo, a journalist who covers these protests, posted a video that reportedly showed a firework that seemed to get caught between an officer’s leg before exploding.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“That f—ked up a cop,” the person who was apparently filming the incident said. NBC Washington reported that protesters threw various debris at officers and officers responded with percussion grenades.
Fox 5 DC reported protesters chanted “Justice for Karon” as they made their way from the scene of the crash to a precinct.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Metropolitan Police Department said Karon Hylton, 20, had been operating the Revel Electric Moped without a helmet on the sidewalk and officers attempted to make a traffic stop. He collided with a vehicle as he exited an alley and cops tried to perform CPR, the statement said. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital on Monday, three days after the incident.
Karen Hylton, the man’s mother, addressed protesters and asked to talk to the city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser. Hylton’s family has blamed the police for his death.
Fox 5 DC said it obtained a video that purports to show an unmarked police car pursuing Hylton, which the report said would be against the department’s policy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Roger Mitchell, the deputy mayor of public safety and justice, said in a statement to the NBC affiliate, “We are engaged directly with the next of kin about their ability to view the body-worn camera footage. We are coordinating with the Department of Behavioral Health to provide the family with the space and trauma-informed support they need to view the body-worn camera footage."