A female police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, was attacked and beaten by a mob during an apparent teen takeover-style event at a July 4 block party on Saturday.
The North Charleston Police Department released a statement on the CRIMEWATCH platform, addressing the viral video of the incident in the Chicora-Cherokee community.
“A neighborhood block party had been permitted by the city of North Charleston in advance of the holiday,” they said. “Earlier that day, police leadership met with event organizers to discuss the event, including traffic and parking plans to ensure emergency vehicles could safely access the area if needed.”
At approximately 8:30 p.m., officers began receiving reports of gunfire and individuals firing fireworks toward passing vehicles. Officers responded immediately and were informed by attendees that several people had begun discharging firearms,” the statement continued.