While occupying Interstate 35 in Duluth on Saturday to protest police brutality and the death of George Floyd, Blue Snow-Szukis, 16, of Duluth, was running out of the way of an oncoming motorcyclist when he was struck.
"There was absolute zero chance it was an accident. He swerved to get me. I was moving away," Snow-Szukis said, adding that there was plenty of open space on both sides of him.
Snow-Szukis captured the incident on video. His cellphone went flying after the motorcycle handle bar hit him in the arm. The front tire hit his leg. Though he's had a bit of trouble walking, he reported feeling "pretty OK" by Tuesday.
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"I was pretty shaken up about it," Snow-Szukis said. "I think I would have been hurt if I didn't have a metal plate in my leg."
The incident took place shortly after protesters started occupying I-35 near Mesaba Avenue around 5:45 p.m. Saturday. Law enforcement had not yet arrived on the scene.
His mother, Amber Snow, filed a report with the Duluth Police Department on Tuesday after encouragement from its public information officer, Ingrid Hornibrook, who was notified of the incident through the video Snow posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew who the motorcyclist was.
"I've definitely been looking at the people who have posted 'laugh' emojis at it to see if any of those people are even tangentially connected," Snow said. "If you scroll in on it, you can see the intent in his eye. He's like, gunning for Blue. ... As far as this morning, I think it's been shared over 100 times."
As of Tuesday morning, Snow hadn't received any serious tips to identify the rider.
Since the report was filed Tuesday, Hornibrook said the department isn't at the point where it would be seeking the public's help yet. That typically doesn't happen until the investigation progresses and the department has exhausted its own resources.
"Oftentimes we know a lot of the people already," Hornibrook said.
A few minutes after Snow-Szukis was struck by the motorcycle, law enforcement showed up, he said. A Duluth police officer asked why he was on the ground.
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"A bunch of them heard me and none of them had any follow-up questions," Snow-Szukis said.
Hornibrook said she encourages anyone who believes law enforcement could have done more to help to give the department a call.
"Obviously, there was a lot going on that day, trying to manage a lot of situations while keeping everyone safe," Hornibrook said. "The incidents with a larger group of people are dynamic, fluid and ever-changing."
