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Officer Struck Breaking Up Drag Race In Philadelphia: Police

A Philadelphia police officer has a broken ankle after being hit by a car while breaking up a street racing event early Sunday morning, the department told Daily Voice. 

Scene from the street race on Broad Street early on Sunday, July 23.

Scene from the street race on Broad Street early on Sunday, July 23.

Photo Credit: Citizen.App

It happened on the 1300 block of North Broad Street around 1:45 a.m. on July 23, authorities said. 

Some 500 "people and vehicles" were gathered on the road when officers arrived to disperse the crowd, according to investigators. One officer was struck by a car that fled the scene and taken by firefighters to Jefferson University Hospital for treatment, they added. 

"A couple of officers" were hurt during the incident, treated at the hospital, and released, the department said. 

Bystander video from the scene uploaded to the Citizen App appeared to show drivers doing burnouts on the roadway and a large group gathered nearby. 

Police say they had dispersed the same crowd a few times earlier in the night — first at 8 p.m. near 5700 Tacony Street and then again around 8:50 p.m. near Philadelphia Mills Mall. 

The crowd regrouped again near Byberry Road and Roosevelt Boulevard around 10:20 p.m. before gathering near Haldeman and Roosevelt Boulevard at about 1:30 a.m., according to police. 

In those locations, officers were able to disperse the group "without incident," the department said. 

This is the second drag race gathering that has required police to seek medical attention that Daily Voice has reported on this month. You can read about a state trooper's vehicle being struck during a drag race by clicking here

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