At least 30 police officers were injured in Philadelphia on Monday night—including one sergeant who was hit by a truck—while responding to anti-police riots.
Unrest broke out in West Philadelphia after police fatally shot a black man who, they say, had brandished a knife while running toward officers. NBC 10 Philadelphia reported that rioters then set police cars and dumpsters on fire and looted stores and restaurants.
Rioters also threw rocks and other projectiles at dozens of officers, who were later taken to the hospital. The sergeant who was hit by a truck sustained a broken leg but is in stable condition.
On Monday afternoon, police confronted Walter Wallace Jr. while responding to a domestic incident. Footage captured by a bystander shows two officers telling Wallace to drop a knife before Wallace ran toward them. The officers then opened fire.
Danielle Outlaw, Philadelphia’s first black female police commissioner, said there is an investigation underway into the incident.
The scene in Philadelphia last night reflected similar incidents in other major U.S. cities following the death of George Floyd in May, which sparked months of violent anti-police protests. Police officers in some major cities are now leaving the force in record numbers, citing anti-police sentiment in local city governments and fears for their safety. The United States now has the lowest number of police officers per capita in 25 years, according to federal data.