Dramatic video from a moped gathering in Tuusula, Finland, on Saturday evening shows an unmarked police car aggressively forcing a fleeing 15 year old rider off the road.
The teenage moped rider had attempted to evade police during the event known as a “mopomiitti.” A civilian style police vehicle pulls alongside and then sharply cuts in front, driving the moped into a ditch and hard into a roadside metal fence structure. The impact destroys part of the fence. Dust flies as both the moped and the police car partially leave the roadway.
Eyewitnesses and circulating footage show the rider on the ground afterward. Early reports claimed both of his arms or wrists were broken, though later information points to fractures in the hand and foot. Police have stated the injuries are not life threatening.
The officer involved is a female member of the Eastern Uusimaa police. Because their own unit was involved in the force used, the investigation has been transferred to Helsinki police. Officials confirmed a pursuit took place and that the rider had fled, but the full circumstances of the stop are under review.
Video footage also shows officers walking the injured 15 year old to the police car, placing him in handcuffs, and putting him in the back seat shortly after the crash. Critics, including medical professionals, have questioned why an ambulance was not immediately called to the scene after the high energy impact into the metal fence.
The incident has sparked strong reactions, with many questioning whether the level of force used against a two wheeled vehicle at relatively moderate speeds was proportional, especially near fixed obstacles.
Video CR: Sebastian Laitinen, Helmet Cam The Moped Rider
Here’s the video of the incident:
