Two female police officers were assaulted and injured in a July 4 mob attack in South Carolina that was caught on video. Authorities also recovered guns as well as a spear.

The North Charleston Police Department said the city had permitted a neighborhood block party. Police said its leadership met with block party organizers to discuss the event, including traffic and parking plans to ensure emergency vehicles could safely access the area if needed.

'We can’t attack and jump on a police officer who was just trying to do her job and beat her like that, like a mob. That just can’t happen.'

But police said around 8:30 p.m., officers began receiving reports of gunfire and individuals shooting fireworks toward passing vehicles.

Officers responded immediately, and attendees told them that several people had begun discharging firearms, police said, adding that officers made repeated public announcements advising that the event had ended and directing attendees to leave the area safely, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation.

Police said that despite those efforts, multiple fights broke out and additional gunshots were fired.

Officers exited their patrol vehicles to intervene, separate individuals involved in fights, and restore order and protect the public, police said, adding that during the response, multiple firearms and a makeshift spear were recovered.

Police said "multiple officers were physically assaulted, with two female officers sustaining minor injuries," and "several attendees were arrested as a result of their own actions."

The following is cellphone video of the physical attacks:

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Police said other law enforcement agencies — including the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol — responded to assist the North Charleston Police Department.

"Attacks on law enforcement are unacceptable, and those responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," police said. "The safety of our residents and visitors remains our highest priority."

Police also said "we especially thank those from the community who helped officers during the attacks."

WCSC-TV reported that the attacks occurred near Chicora Community Park on Calvert Street — and that police said the event had been held in the same location for about 10 years without incident.

About 400 people were present at the scene, police told WCSC.

North Charleston Police Chief Ron Camacho told the station that the two female officers who were injured "are fine. They’re working."

Three juveniles and one adult were arrested, Camacho added to WCSC, saying that "at least one or two of those arrests were for assaulting an officer."

Camacho also told the station that additional arrests are expected as investigators review body-camera video: “What you got on that social media, you’re looking at one little snippet, at one little video. We were out there for an extended period of time.”

Community advocate Elvin Speights told WCSC he was shaken after watching the video circulate online: “A lot of emotions. Ashamed. Disgraced. I’m very pleased that no one was seriously hurt. That could have gone really bad.”

Speights added to the station that "we just can’t do that. We can’t attack and jump on a police officer who was just trying to do her job and beat her like that, like a mob. That just can’t happen.”

Speights also told WCSC the police response was admirable: “I just wanted to give a huge shout-out to that officer who showed humongous restraint on not going out here and pulling her gun and start shooting. The North Charleston Police Department as a whole — no one was seriously hurt. They showed a lot of restraint.”

Camacho told the station that police had prior intelligence that juveniles were planning to engage in fights using fireworks in the area that night — but were not prepared for the scale of what took place at the block party.

“We were not ready for this,” Camacho noted to WCSC.

More from the station:

The chief said the department has already made policy changes in how officers respond to calls involving juveniles, including requiring higher-ranking officers — corporals, sergeants or lieutenants — to respond to certain juvenile-related calls in an effort to lower the temperature of those interactions.

“We need some help,” Camacho told WCSC. “We really do. We need some help from the community. Because stuff like this is getting dangerous."

Camacho also told the the station that unruly juveniles are “the most difficult thing that I’ve had to deal with in my policing career.” He added to WCSC that he plans to meet with community leaders soon to discuss solutions.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson had the following to say on X regarding the incident, according to the station:

The violence we witnessed in North Charleston is unacceptable. There is no place in South Carolina for mob violence or attacks on law enforcement.

Anyone who assaults a police officer, fires a weapon into a crowd, or threatens public safety should be arrested, prosecuted, and held fully accountable.

South Carolina is a state of law and order. We will not tolerate mob rule.

Those with additional information about the individuals involved in the shootings or other criminal activity are encouraged to contact authorities through the CRIMEWATCH app, WCSC reported.

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