At least 10 hurt, including children, after NYPD vehicle jumps curb in the Bronx
NEW YORK -- Ten people were hospitalized after an NYPD vehicle jumped a curb in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon.
Police told CBS2's Ali Bauman officers were responding to a call of a car being stolen. With their lights and sirens on, the cops tried to pass another car at the intersection of Westchester Avenue and Hoe Avenue in the Longwood section, but instead the vehicles collided. Some of the victims suffered serious injuries, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported.
Surveillance video shows the cop car approaching the intersection, crossing the double yellow line. It then collides with a civilian car and jumps the curb into a crowd of people.
"The officers crossed over the double yellow line to go around the vehicle, but the vehicle made a left hand turn, at which point the department vehicle and civilian vehicle, they clipped each other," NYPD Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey said.
Police said the cop car hit six people on the sidewalk.
"I was standing right here and saw everything. She was knocked out right there where the cop car is," witness Maribel Sanchez said.
"She was laying right there under that camera. They were doing chest compressions," a man added.
Among the injured, was a 5-year-old girl, her mother and grandmother, who were on their way to the grocery store.
"I was asking how they doing, if they need any help," witness Kareem Tutson said.
Tutson had stopped to talk to the family moments before they were hit.
"When I see the car, I look like this, yo and we all ran, even my neighbor in my building was running, but they wouldn't allow us to touch them," Tutson said.
All six pedestrians and the two police officers were taken to the hospital, along with the people in the civilian car, an adult man and 2-year-old child.
Candles were placed at the scene, as the community continues to pray for all the victims to recover.
"Hopefully, I get to see her at least walk. I wouldn't wish this on anybody," Tutson said.
Police told CBS2 everyone is expected to survive. As for the initial car theft that the cops were responding to, because of the accident that suspect was able to get away.