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WATCH: GRPD officers rescue victims in downtown shooting

Posted at 2:02 PM, Aug 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-08 22:51:38-04

** The video above includes graphic content, view it with caution.

A mass shooting in downtown Grand Rapids on July 17 left multiple people severely hurt.

In this video obtained by FOX 17 via a Freedom of Information Act Request, you can see officers transporting one victim to the hospital, before going back to help more people.

MORE: 'Bullets were flying everywhere': Four shot in downtown Grand Rapids

Officers transported all victims of the shooting to the hospital in police cruisers because the scene was too chaotic for an ambulance to get through.

The video includes graphic content, view it with caution.

GRPD officers save victims in downtown shooting

“The heroic actions of Officer Andrew Smith and Officer Laura Saxton during an extremely chaotic and dangerous situation undoubtedly saved this man’s life,” said Chief Eric Winstrom. “I have made the decision to release footage from body-worn cameras to show the bravery and selflessness Officer Smith and Officer Saxton showed that night. They did not hesitate. They did not seek out or wait for permission. They knew what needed to be done and they acted to preserve life. And after they had transferred the victim to the care of emergency room personnel, they immediately returned to the scene to work alongside their fellow officers. I am honored to serve with them.”

RELATED: 'People were scattering': Witness recounts moments after downtown GR shooting

The shooting happened near the intersection of Cesar E. Chavez Ave. and Oakes St. SW.

Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom says four people were shot. The shooter has not been arrested.

According to the nonprofit group Gun Violence Archive, there have been 405 mass shootings in the United States in 2022. A mass shooting is defined by the group as a case killing or injuring four or more people.

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