Queens council member raises alarm over street takeovers after chaos

Queens council member raises alarm over street takeovers after chaos

A Queens council member is calling for tougher enforcement after nearly 100 cars took over an intersection in Middle Village over the weekend, performing dangerous stunts and damaging a police vehicle. Officials say the gatherings are coordinated on social media, and police are searching for suspects.

QUEENS - A Queens council member is raising concerns over dangerous street takeovers following a chaotic incident over the weekend in Middle Village that drew nearly 100 cars and left police scrambling to respond.

Council member Phil Wong met with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Tuesday morning at One Police Plaza to address the growing problem of illegal car meetups, which officials say are increasingly organized through social media.

‘There have to be consequences’ 

What they're saying:

"We’re seeing the same cars and seeing the same drivers at every one of these meetups," Wong said. "These souped-up cars, they keep coming back, and they do it again and again and again in different parts of the city." 

"There have to be consequences," he added. "The cars have to be confiscated, the loudspeaker arrays have to be seized, and they have to be prosecuted. And I don’t see that happening."

File Photo. 

No arrests have been made so far, but police say they are actively searching for at least seven individuals believed to be involved. Two vehicles were seized following the Saturday incident.

Authorities say the gatherings are being coordinated online and have warned that participation in these events poses significant risks to public safety and law enforcement.

According to Wong, Commissioner Tisch said the NYPD’s upcoming graduating class of officers will help increase capacity to respond to incidents like these in affected precincts.

The NYPD said in a statement that it "takes these incidents very seriously" and has "long had an aggressive plan to deter and stop illegal car meetups."