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A driver plowed through a crowd of peaceful protesters marching at an anti-violence rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday, forcing several people to dive out of its path.
Footage of the incident, taken by a local Fox station, shows demonstrators walking down the middle of the street holding signs calling for violence to end in their communities. As the protesters, consisting of mostly black Milwaukee families who have lost loved ones to gun violence and their children, marched down the street, a dark colored vehicle suddenly charged towards them, causing the crowd to break as people jumped out of the way to avoid being hit.
The group of roughly 40 people took to the streets on Saturday to encourage members of their community to dispose of their guns. Law enforcement reportedly escorted the protesters as they marched and chanted. According to local outlets, people participating in the "Stop the Violence" rally were near 12th and Center when the driver barrelled through the crowd.
Members from the rally can be heard screaming and shouting as they scrambled to get out of the vehicle's way as it turned fast down the street where they were gathered. The vehicle appeared to have been involved in a minor accident before speeding away from the scene. It is unclear whether the driver intentionally or negligently drove the car through the crowd of demonstrators.
No one was injured in the incident. The march continued as planned.
"That was kind of a close call right there," community activist Tory Lowe said. "If that mentality had stopped us, then we lose."
The family of Joe Jackson Jr., who was killed in June, organized the rally to bring together families to spread peace throughout the community. "That's why it's important we're out here," Debroah Hawthrome, Jackson Jr.'s mother, said. "Letting the people know that it must stop. It must stop."
"The community need to know we will no longer tolerate gun violence in our neighborhoods," she added. "Our children need to live. We need to live safe. They need to feel safe.”
A police car can be seen following the vehicle in the footage as it raced off down the street on Saturday, however, it is not clear whether the suspect has been apprehended or charged with a crime.
The incident occurred on the same day as a mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, which left 20 people dead and at least 26 others injured. Authorities responded to an active shooter alert at around 10 a.m. local time, El Paso Police Sgt. Robert Gomez said at a news conference earlier today, after a gunman opened fire inside a Walmart, causing multiple fatalities.