Missouri man plows minivan through pro-Eric Garner protesters, waves handgun at them

St. Louis police took a man into custody on Wednesday for driving his minivan into a group of protesters and then waving a handgun at them.

According to the St. Louis Dispatch, activists were preparing for a "die-in" demonstration, which includes lying in the street, in Maryland Plaza at around 8 p.m. to protest the decision not to charge the officer whose illegal use of a chokehold resulted in the death of Eric Garner.

"As they did, a man driving a Town and Country minivan drove through the intersection and accelerated through the crowd," the paper reported. "One woman was seen crouching on the hood of the minivan as the van continued forward. She fell off as the vehicle rounded a curve."

After a short chase, protesters were able to stop the driver. In photos taken by the Post-Dispatch's David Carson, a male white driver in his 50s can be seen brandishing a semiautomatic handgun. Reports said that protesters broke the man's window at one point.

A protest organizer said that four activists had been hit. Police spokesperson Leah Freeman noted that no one had been seriously hurt.

The driver was taken into custody by police. Freeman said that it was not clear if he hit the protesters after swerving to go around them or if they had jumped in front of his minivan.

Watch the video below from KTVI, broadcast Dec. 4, 2014.