In brief
A Minneapolis family, including their six children, required hospital treatment after police rolled a tear gas canister under their vehicle during immigration protests. While trying to navigate a blocked street, the Jacksons found themselves amid escalating tensions, leading to a panic as toxic fumes filled their SUV. The incident highlights the unintended consequences of law enforcement actions during widespread protests, sparking discussions about safety and accountability.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis couple, the Jackson family, faced a harrowing ordeal after they inadvertently found themselves caught between protesters and immigration officers this week. In a chaotic situation, an officer rolled a tear gas canister underneath their family SUV, flooding the vehicle with noxious fumes, which required treatment for the couple and several of their six children, including an infant, at a local hospital.
The incident on Wednesday underscores the risks civilians face during escalated law enforcement actions amid large protests in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Destiny Jackson, 26, shared that they were driving home from a basketball game when they encountered a blocked street, where a federal officer had recently shot a man during an arrest attempt.
Jackson recalled, People were just standing around, and it seemed relatively peaceful, so we stopped to ask what was happening. She spent 20-30 minutes trying to persuade her mother, who was in the crowd, to leave. As the situation grew more intense, Jackson heard flash-bang grenades and noticed smoke in the air. Seeking to exit the area, the family quickly drove away, only to be confronted by federal officers instructing them to leave.
Realizing the tense situation, they waited for the officers to pass, thinking it was their opportunity. However, as they prepared to leave, an officer rolled a tear gas canister under their SUV. Jackson described hearing a boom as the car's airbags deployed, and the vehicle filled with gas. Panic ensued as her children began crying out that they couldn't breathe. Jackson recounted her frantic attempts to unlock the doors and get her children out, particularly worried about her 6-month-old son who appeared unresponsive.
First responders were alerted to an infant in respiratory distress. After being stabilized at the scene, he and four others, including Jackson and her husband, were transported to the hospital for treatment. Jackson stated they received good care, but the event left them shaken.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security commented that the officers were responding to a group of rioters and agitators and did not intentionally target the Jackson family. Following the incident, Jackson received threats and negative messages online, expressing that she is focusing on her family's safety and the truth of their experience.
