Police shoot dead man who tries to drive through chicken wing festival

The man reportedly attempted to drive through the festival barricade and over a policeman

Vendors including 'Mother Clucker's' were roped off after the shooting (Reno Gazette Journal)

An annual Fourth of July chicken wings cook-off turned sour when police shot dead a man who attempted to drive through the festival barricade.

The suspect was fatally injured after he reportedly attempted to drive over a policeman and through the Wing Fest in northern Nevada.

Police said the minivan failed to yield for a traffic stop in downtown Reno, and continued driving with police in pursuit, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The vehicle then tried to drive through a barricade in front of the annual Biggest Little City Wing Fest, a gathering of 80,000 people, and swerved towards a police officer who was on foot.

The officer shot the vehicle and caused the man to crash into a chicken wing vendor.

The suspect was taken into hospital where he died, the sheriff said.

Authorities have not released the identity of the suspect and are investigating the cause of his death.

Bob Harmon from the Sheriff’s office said: “I think, you know, you see the crowds that are there at the Wing Fest, it's comforting to say there were no civilians injured today."

The Reno Gazette Journal newspaper reported that witness Steven Parks, a vendor for Jax Kettle Korn, said he saw a few police officers on foot who attempted to stop the vehicle so they could shoot into the passenger side of the van.

"You see these things in the movies, and know to get down," he said, adding that he heard several gunshots.

The 25 vendors continued to cook chicken for the crowd as the festival continued on the national holiday.