Nationwide — Destiny Jackson, a 26-year-old African American mother from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and her family were caught near ICE-related protests when tear gas filled their SUV. The fumes sent several of her children to the hospital, and her 6-month-old baby had to be revived with CPR.
Jackson and her husband were driving home Wednesday night after their middle schooler’s basketball game. As they headed through north Minneapolis, they ran into a blocked street near the site of an earlier federal law enforcement shooting linked to an attempted arrest.
At first, Jackson said the area seemed calm. People were standing around, and nothing looked dangerous. When she saw her mother nearby, the family stopped and spent about 20 to 30 minutes trying to convince her to leave.
“I was just trying to get her to go home,” Jackson told WLBT. “I’ve only seen these things on TV. Some end well, some don’t.”
The situation changed fast. Jackson said she began hearing flash-bang grenades and saw smoke in the air. Protesters started filling the street, and federal officers told people to move out of the area.
When the family tried to leave, Jackson said officers walked past their SUV. Thinking it was safe, they waited for an opening to drive away. That is when, she said, an officer rolled a tear gas canister under their vehicle.
The canister went off, setting off the airbags and filling the SUV with gas. Jackson said her children were crying and saying they could not breathe. As she rushed to get everyone out, she noticed her 6-month-old son was not moving.
Emergency crews were called after reports came in about a baby having trouble breathing. According to CNN, a family member performed CPR and revived the infant before paramedics arrived. Fire officials said the baby was breathing but in serious condition when taken to the hospital.
Jackson said she, her husband, and three of their children were treated at the hospital, including the infant, a 7-year-old, and an 11-year-old. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said officers were responding to rioters and did not target the family.
After sharing what happened online, Jackson said she began receiving threats and hateful messages. She said she tries to ignore the negativity and focus on the fact that she was only trying to get her family home safely.
Source: BlackNews.com
