Washington ( CNN ) -- A white diplomatic van shown plowing into anti-government protesters in Cairo might belong to the United States , officials said , adding that 20 such vehicles have been stolen in Egypt amid the unrest . The YouTube video , dated January 28 , is one of three from recent days showing drivers seemingly purposefully ramming their vehicle into demonstrators in streets that appear to be around Cairo 's Tahrir Square . The footage caused an uproar online , some of it related to the fact that the van appeared to resemble a U.S. diplomatic vehicle . `` Obviously , we 've seen some of the reaction on YouTube and other forums , which is why we 're trying to get out and knock this erroneous story down , '' U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Friday afternoon . Fellow State Department spokesman P.J . Crowley was the first to comment earlier Friday , saying that American officials were `` very aware '' of the video and trying to get more information on what happened . Later , the State Department and U.S. Embassy in Egypt issued a joint statement also acknowledging video of the `` hit-and-run '' incident that `` injured dozens in Cairo . '' A spokesman did not explain how U.S. officials came to that casualty toll . The statement noted that `` a number of U.S. Embassy vehicles '' were stolen on January 28 , when Egyptian police abandoned their posts in droves around Cairo . Toner later clarified that 20 vehicles had been taken . `` Since these vehicles were stolen , we have heard reports of their use in violent and criminal acts , '' the statement said , alluding to the possibility that one might be the van shown on the YouTube video . `` If true , we deplore these acts and perpetrators . '' The U.S. release added , `` We are certain that no embassy employees or diplomats were involved . '' CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report .
A second video , dated January 28 , shows a white van hitting protesters in Cairo . State Department checking whether van ##s was stolen from its embassy . Several other diplomatic vehicles were stolen on January 28 , the video says . U.S. Embassy : ` ` We are certain no embassy employees or diplomats were involved ''