Cop draws gun on fleeing driver

A police sergeant drew his service revolver in Cheung Sha Wan in a failed attempt to stop a black vehicle suspected of carrying drugs. The vehicle then rammed into two taxis and mounted the sidewalk before driving against traffic and fleeing pursuing officers.

A female pedestrian and two taxi drivers sustained minor injuries in the incident.

The pedestrian, 41, sustained head injuries and felt dizzy, while one of the taxi drivers, 65, sustained neck injuries. Both were taken to Caritas Medical Centre in Cheung Sha Wan, according to police.

The other taxi driver, 60, sustained minor neck injuries but refused to be taken to hospital.

At around 11am yesterday, officers in a traffic police car spotted a suspicious black vehicle while on patrol in Cheung Sha Wan.

It is understood that the traffic officers found through their automatic number plate recognition system that the license of the black BMW private car had already expired. So they attempted to stop it.

But the driver of the vehicle accelerated away from the cops, who chased the BMW on Castle Peak Road heading towards Sham Shui Po until reaching a junction with Tai Nan West Street in Cheung Sha Wan.

According to a video circulated online, the black car was stuck in traffic on the left lane of the three-lane Castle Peak Road when all cars were stopped in front of a traffic light.

A traffic officer immediately rushed out of the police car and tried to open the door of the black car but failed.

He then pulled out his service revolver and pointed it at the driver for around 20 seconds and yelled: "Get out of the vehicle, get out of the vehicle!"

A motorcycle police officer went to help and pulled out his extendable baton and hit on the driver's side window around five times in an attempt to break it.

The driver ignored both cops and rammed into two taxis and a private vehicle, as well as knocking down a pedestrian when making a U-turn before fleeing the scene towards oncoming traffic.

Another sergeant tried to chase the vehicle on foot, while the sergeant who drew his gun returned to his vehicle hoping to chase after the black car, but eventually decided to leave the vehicle.

Sources at the scene said the vehicle might have been used to transport illegal drugs. The suspect remained at large last night and the car was nowhere to be found.

A taxi driver who witnessed the incident said all three lanes on Castle Peak Road going towards Sham Shui Po were blocked by a traffic police motorcycle.

"The officer ordered us to and stop, while the suspicious vehicle was in the left lane at the time," said the cabbie. "An officer ordered the driver to leave his vehicle, but the black vehicle suddenly started an escape attempt after stopping for around 30 seconds.

"Maybe his car has enough horsepower. It was able to ramp us out of its way before mounting the sidewalk and fleeing."