Police and neighbors are fed up and calling for a crackdown after police say there were 11 illegal car meetups just over the weekend, and one person has been arrested. The incidents involved dangerous behaviors such as drifting, setting off fireworks and starting fires. NBC10’s Leah Uko has the latest details from police on the chaos.
At least five police vehicles were damaged over the weekend as police officials worked to disperse large crowds gathered at car meetups throughout Philadelphia, including outside of City Hall and at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
One police vehicle could be seen on Sunday morning outside City Hall with a smashed windshield, where officials said, attendees of a car meetup stomped on the window as officers attempted to break up these crowds overnight.
According to police, a second police vehicle was also damaged after people in the crowd flattened the vehicle's tires.
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In a morning update, police officials said that officers responded to several incidents overnight "involving large groups of vehicles engaging in illegal street racing, drifting, and other reckless activities across the city."
According to police, the incidents happened at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, and then again at about 4:33 a.m., early Sunday morning.
The incidents, officials said, involved dangerous behaviors such as drifting, setting off fireworks, starting trash fires, and, in some cases, vandalizing police vehicles.
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“A few of them were obviously a little more violent,” Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Kram said. “They attacked officers. Threw various things at them. Shot off fireworks.”
Kram also said at least one of the people involved had a flame-thrower.
Two individuals were arrested in these incidents and, officials said, at least one more driver is sought. Police said one of the suspects is 19-years-old.
Car meetup incidents
• 9:30 p.m. — On the 7400 block of Bustleton Ave, approximately 50 cars were involved and police officials said that officers issued nine citations under the nuisance car ordinance and 15 citations to spectators. One driver attempted to evade police by driving directly at officers, colliding with a civilian vehicle in the process, according to police. That driver has been identified, and a warrant has been issued for their arrest, officials said.
• 11:47 p.m. — At the intersection of 20th Street and Pattison Ave., police said over 100 vehicles were reported drifting and engaging in reckless driving. Two individuals were arrested after fleeing from police and crashing into a pole police officials said. Both of the drivers who were arrested, officials noted, "are residents of neighboring communities."
• 4 a.m. — At the intersection of Island and Bartram Avenues, a group of over 200 cars was involved in drag racing and drifting, police said. Officers were attacked, and a police vehicle was damaged, and according to police, the crowd dispersed when additional police units arrived.
• 4:33 a.m. — At the intersection of 15th and Market streets, in front of City Hall, police said more than 100 cars were reported drifting and setting rubbish fires. Officers were attacked, resulting in damage to multiple police vehicles, including broken windshields and flattened tires, officials said.
On Monday morning, donut tire tracks could be seen on the ground at the intersection of Walnut and 22nd streets. It was unclear if these were related to the same meetups.
Officer injured and police vehicle damaged
A 39th District officer sustained minor injuries at 3:30 a.m. along the 3300 block of Fox St. while responding to an assist call, police officials said. His vehicle was struck by another car that fled the scene, according to police.
Five police vehicles were damaged overnight, police officials said, including broken windshields and flattened tires.
Ongoing police efforts to deter future incidents
The Philadelphia Police Department has announced that it will be assigning "dozens of officers to address these illegal gatherings" for next weekend. Police officials said these officers will focus on the large, dangerous vehicular gatherings that have been forming throughout our city. A key part of these efforts is having officers in the Criminal Intelligence Unit gather data to learn of these events prior to their formation, which, officials said, is an approach that has been successful in the past.
"To those participating in this activity: do not think for a moment that you got away with it and that you will not be held accountable. There are cameras everywhere, there is a considerable amount of evidence to go through, PPD will use that evidence to make arrests when warranted," police officials wrote in a statement on the weekend car meetups.
The investigation into these incidents, they said, is ongoing.
The police are asking anyone with information regarding these incidents to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at (215) 686-TIPS (8477).
"Community cooperation is vital in helping us prevent such activities and ensure the safety of all residents," police officials said in a statement.
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