Editor's note: An initial report indicated only one Columbia firefighter had been injured during protests Saturday.
At least 17 first responders were hurt Saturday in the Columbia protests that turned chaotic and violent, officials said.
Twelve officers with the Columbia Police Department were injured, while three Richland County sheriff’s deputies were hurt, in addition to two members of the Columbia Fire Department, officials from all three departments said Sunday.
Only one of the Columbia police officers remains hospitalized, Chief Skip Holbrook told The State. That officer is expected to recover, Holbrook said.
“We are checking on him often,” police officials said on Twitter.
Three officers were assaulted, and two suffered cuts on their faces from broken glass thrown at them, according to the tweet.
Police said the other injuries were all related to heat exhaustion.
The deputies who were hurt during the protests were treated on the scene, according to the sheriff’s department.
Further information on their condition was not available.
The firefighters who were injured were hit by projectiles, a department spokesman told The State. Both of the firefighters were treated on the scene by EMS and returned to service, according to the fire department.
“We appreciate your prayers & well-wishes,” police tweeted.
The protests that started as peaceful devolved into riots in response to the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis on Monday while in police custody. Tensions have been raised across the nation as Floyd’s death has sparked national outrage since a video showed a police officer kneeling on his neck before he died.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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