BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Police said a 31-year-old man has been arrested for attempted murder, accused of driving through a crowd of protesters Friday evening in Downtown Bakersfield during demonstrations over the death of George Floyd.
The department said Michael Tran drove a Toyota Rav4 through a crowd and struck a 15 year old girl. She was suffered minor injuries.
In a statement early Saturday morning, Bakersfield police said Tran drove past the crowd on Truxtun Avenue several times, and at least twice spoke to protesters on the street. Officials said Tran may have antagonized the protesters.
According to police, at one point, Tran lowered his window and gestured toward the crowd. That’s when they approached the car and he accelerated and struck the 15-year-old, police said.
The alleged act was captured on camera by onlookers and by 17 News cameras. Police estimated the crowd of protesters in front of police headquarters between 200 and 300 people.
Tran was booked into the Kern County Jail on one count of attempted murder and is being held on $500,000 bail, according to a Kern County inmate database. He is scheduled to be arraigned on June 9.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Bakersfield police at 661-327-7111.
