Fire truck carrying Jokic, Murray hits police officer during parade
DENVER (KDVR) — A Denver Police officer was seriously injured after being struck by a fire truck during the Denver Nuggets parade Thursday.
The incident happened near the end of the parade route at West 13th Avenue and Cherokee Street, DPD said.
The officer was transported to the hospital and was in serious but stable condition with a serious lower leg injury.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said the officer was trying to protect people that had made their way into the street in front of the fire truck.
The officer’s left leg was trapped under the fire truck until he was able to be extracted.
A physician with Denver Health said the injury was limb-threatening.
A still image from video taken along the Nuggets parade route shows the officer who was hit by a fire truck on the ground, June 15, 2023. (Image: Brian Willie)
According to Denver Fire Department spokesperson Greg Pixley, the officer fell as the truck was turning and ended up with injuries caused by the fire truck.
“This was a very chaotic environment,” Pixley said. “There’s a lot of people around there and unfortunately every once in a while there’s circumstances like this that happen.”
The truck was carrying MVP Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, as well as the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. They were all moved to another vehicle and taken the last few blocks to the end of the parade route.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock defended the way first responder agencies handled the parade and said most people stayed behind the barriers.
“We have done this parade now three times … in the last 8 years, and we have not seen this challenge before,” he said.
The fire truck that hit a police officer late in the Denver Nuggets parade is seen here earlier in the route, carrying Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, on June 15, 2023 in Denver. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
An investigation to determine the specific circumstances of what happened is being conducted by DPD and DFD.
Source: FOX 31 Denver
