Five United Auto Workers (UAW) strikers were struck by a vehicle driven by a General Motors employee while picketing at an automaker processing plant in Michigan on Tuesday afternoon, police say.
According to reports, the incident happened at 4 p.m. when an auto plant employee was leaving the Flint Processing Center on Bristol Road in Swartz Creek.
The picketing UAW members, protesting labor conditions, had gathered near the facility’s driveway, temporarily blocking the exit route for the employee, according to police.
Chief Matthew Bade of the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County revealed that the employee allegedly plowed into the crowd as they were leaving the premises, reported ABC News.
Initial assessments indicate that the injuries sustained by the UAW strikers are minor, with two of them receiving immediate treatment at the scene. The remaining three were taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and care, reported WMEN.
As of now, the identity of the driver remains unknown, and authorities are actively searching for the individual responsible for the incident. The police are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine if any charges will be filed.
Chief Bade said the car was a dark-colored Chevrolet HHR, reported Detroit News.
In response to the incident, Jack Crawley, a spokesperson for General Motors, the company that operates the Swartz Creek plant, issued a statement.
“Plant leadership is working closely with local authorities to investigate and understand what happened,” Mr. Crawley said.
