A car has driven through protesters at a trans lives matter vigil honoring a black transgender woman who was shot dead by police in St Louis.
The memorial for Kenneth ‘Kiwi’ Herring turned violent on Wednesday night when a Mercedes driver drove into a middle of a crowd of protesters who were blocking the road.
His car appeared to be attacked by the activists before he drove away, leaving three people with minor injuries, according to the Riverfront Times.
The driver – a white male – was later arrested.
People were gathered to honor the life of Herring, a 30-year-old black transgender woman, who was shot dead by St. Louis police on Tuesday.
Herring was killed by a police after she allegedly stabbed an officer and a neighbor with a large kitchen knife.
A car plowed into protesters on Wednesday night at a trans lives matter vigil honoring a black transgender woman who was shot dead by police in St Louis on Tuesday
A police spokeswoman said a white male driver was taken into custody for felony fleeing, as photos show protesters on the hood of the man’s Mercedes
St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer David Carson captured the moment the car hit people with his camera.
He tweeted: ‘Car just drove through protesters on Manchester, few injuries not major, only scrapes. Driver fled police chased not pulling over.’
He then posted pictures and added: ‘Pix from car that drove through protesters, car stopped was surrounded, then drove through, one person ended up on hood, only minor injuries.’
Police spokeswoman Schron Jackson told the Riverfront Times: ‘Tonight, a group of protesters marched from the Transgender Memorial to the intersection of Manchester and Sarah were they blocked traffic in all directions.
‘A vehicle approached, stopped, honked its horn and attempted to drive around the protesters.
‘The protesters surrounded the vehicle and began striking it with their hands and a flag pole. Several protesters also kicked and jumped on top of the vehicle.’
She said the driver of the vehicle – a white male – then drove away when two women and a man ‘fell from the vehicle’.
A vigil was being held to honor Kenneth ‘Kiwi’ Herring (pictured) a 30-year-old black transgender woman who was killed by cops on Tuesday
St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer David Carson posted this picture of the moment a car drove into protesters who were in the driver’s way
Police were responding to a domestic dispute and claim they found a man with stab wounds and Herring wielding a knife, which she allegedly used to injure an officer
The three who were hit suffered minor injuries, but refused medical attention.
‘Police attempted to stop driver of vehicle who initially refused to stop,’ Jackson said. ‘He stopped about a block away from the incident and was taken into custody for felony fleeing. The incident was captured on video.’
A woman who claims she was at the event tweeted: ‘We had a vigil for #KiwiHerring and marched to the grove. Where a white man tried to run us over in his Mercedes. St. Louis. Amerikkka.’
The Grove is located in downtown St. Louis and is a hub for LGBTQ nightlife.
People were left outraged over the death of Herring on Tuesday morning.
Police were responding to a domestic dispute call at 8am and arrived to find a 30-year-old man wounded with stab wounds across his face, arms and torso, reported the St. Louis Dispatch.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer David Carson tweeted: ‘Car just drove through protesters on Manchester, few injuries not major, only scrapes. Driver fled police chased not pulling over’
Three people collided with the car, sustaining minor injuries in the incident
Interim police Chief Lawrence O’Toole said cops saw Herring armed with a large kitchen knife and lunged at officers with it when they asked her to drop the weapon.
Herring reportedly lunged at an officer and wounded them.
This prompted police to fire at Herring, shooting the woman dead.
O’Toole said: ‘The suspect flourished a knife and slashed at the officers, slicing one officer on the arm. The officers fired and shot and killed the suspect.’
However, the police described Herring as a man in their reports, although she identifies as woman, which sparked public outcry within the St. Louis community.
O’Toole said the department has had several calls to the apartment, located in the Academy neighborhood, for domestic issues.
Kristopher Kristy Thompson, 28, (right) was Herring’s partner and was arrested over the altercation. Thompson was charged on Wednesday with assault and armed criminal action, as the neighbor who was stabbed is in serious but stable condition. Pictured left: The apartment where Herring was shot and killed
Kristopher Kristy Thompson, was Herring’s partner and was arrested over the altercation.
Thompson, 28, was charged on Wednesday with assault and armed criminal action, as the neighbor who was stabbed is in serious but stable condition.
Herring’s sister-in-law told the Post Dispatch that Thompson is a transgender man.
She said the couple had moved to the area from Mississippi and were raising three boys under the age of eight in the apartment, who were biologically Thompson’s children.
A toddler was reportedly inside the house at the time of the shooting,
The couple felt threatened and were harassed by their neighbors because of their sexual orientation, according to Herring’s friends and family.