Crowd stomps on police car after cops break up 100-person Missouri party, video shows
Police in St. Louis are searching for people seen on video jumping up and down on an officer’s cruiser Sunday, causing “substantial damage” to it.
Police said they received 13 calls early Sunday morning for reports of a large party on the top floor of an apartment building. Officers broke up the party, according to police, but the crowd of 100 individuals began to congregate outside.
Video shows many of the individuals huddled near a police car before climbing on top of it. They began stomping on the vehicle with the officer still inside, as others cheered them on and filmed.
Police said one of the individuals opened the passenger-side door of the police car and the crowd eventually fled when a city-wide “officer in need of aid” call was initiated. The officer was not injured.
Shots were fired in the area as the crowd was dispersing, according to police.
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones condemned the actions in a series of tweets Monday morning.
“Our office has reviewed the video of people jumping on our patrol cars this weekend. While I’m thankful @SLMPD responded quickly and dispersed the crowd without conflict or injury, I’m disappointed in those people who will now have to face consequences for their behavior,” she said. “Let me be clear: You can go out and have a good time without all this nonsense. If we are committed to building a stronger city, we need to show some courtesy and respect.”
Dwight Taper, who recorded video of the crowd that went viral, told the St. Louis Post Dispatch “it was just a party that went too far at the end.”
“Everybody was just dancing around the car at first, but then some people got on top,” he told the newspaper.
Police are asking for the public’s help identifying anyone in the video. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at 866-371-8477.
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 11:23 AM with the headline "Crowd stomps on police car after cops break up 100-person Missouri party, video shows."