ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The St. Paul Police Department has put an officer on leave while it investigates allegations that he made a post on Facebook urging drivers to run over protesters who rallied against the police killings of two black men in the Twin Cities last year.
The social media message said, "Run them over," and told people how to avoid being charged with a crime if they struck someone during the Martin Luther King Day march and rally on a bridge linking St. Paul and Minneapolis, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported.
Mayor Chris Coleman issued a statement saying he was "outraged and disgusted" and had directed officials to investigate.
The Pioneer Press posted a preview story about the protest on its Facebook page Friday night.
The suspended officer allegedly posted a comment in reply, under a different name, that said: "Run them over. Keep traffic flowing and don't slow down for any of these idiots who try and block the street.”
The post gave advice for avoiding charges and said anyone hit who sued would probably lose a jury trial.
