Car Mows Down Anti-Racism Protesters in Charlottesville; One Dead, Dozen Injured

A vehicle plowed into protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, killing one and injuring scores, according to Virginia's governor.

A gray Dodge Challenger accelerated and drove directly into a crowd, hurling people into the air. Blood was splattered on car windows. The Challenger apparently struck a vehicle, then reversed back up the street it drove down, followed by protesters.

Warning: Graphic video.

Charlottesville police took the driver into custody and said the incident is being investgiated as homicide.

President Donald Trump said he condemned violence "on many sides" from his private club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Virginia Gov. Terry McAullife was more pointed, telling "white supremacists and Nazis, I have one message: go home."

Tensions began building on Friday night, when white supremacists, led in part by agitator Richard Spencer, rallied with torches around a monument of Thomas Jefferson. On Saturday morning, crowds gathered again, with counter-protesters arriving too. McAuliffe issued a state of emergency, urging residents to “stay away” from Charlottesville.

Attendees at Saturday’s planned march, including Spencer and white supremacist David Duke, were told to disperse as counter-protesters began outnumbering the conflagration of white supremacist groups and armed white nationalist militiamen. Though there were multiple skirmishes, violence was minimal before the car struck the crowd.