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A typically tranquil neighborhood in New York was thrown into disarray when over 100 vehicles flooded its roads in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Residents of Maspeth and Middle Village found themselves dialing 911 in a panic as drag racing activities began to dominate their streets.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) informed the Daily Mail that officers quickly responded to the scene around 1:49 a.m., arriving at Eliot Avenue and 69th Street within a minute. They immediately activated their lights and sirens to disperse the crowd.
In a brazen act, three unknown individuals climbed onto a marked police car, damaging its windshield before escaping in a different vehicle.
To prevent further reckless behavior, additional police units were deployed to patrol the nearby areas, resulting in at least one driver being cited for obstructing a crosswalk.
No injuries were reported and the investigation remains ongoing.
The chaos unfolded near the Maspeth–Middle Village border, where drivers had taken over the intersection, spinning in circles, revving engines and sending smoke into crowds gathered just feet away.
Videos from the scene show spectators lining the roadway as cars performed donuts and burnouts, with some people stepping back at the last moment to avoid oncoming vehicles.
More than 100 cars took over a Queens intersection around 1.50am Saturday, performing dangerous stunts as crowds watched from just feet away
Police responded within one minute to reports of drag racing and quickly dispersed the gathering, but three people jumped on a patrol car and cracked its windshield before fleeing
Flames briefly appeared on the street during one stunt while another clip shows a man holding a Palestinian flag out of the window of a truck as it spun through the intersection.
At least one driver was issued a citation for reckless driving, according to local officials.
Councilman Phil Wong, who represents the 30th Council District, which includes Middle Village and Maspeth, has called for stronger action to prevent similar gatherings.
‘This kind of reckless behavior is an attack on our quality of life, and it cannot be tolerated,’ Wong told the New York Post.
A representative for Wong also wondered how such a large number of vehicles were able to gather in a residential neighborhood without detection, raising concerns about enforcement and intelligence.
‘I have to question what the NYPD intel is doing. How do 100 cars come to a sleepy neighborhood like Middle Village? The chaos needs to end,’ they said.
The councilman has requested a meeting with Jessica Tisch to discuss next steps and potential measures to address the issue.
Councilman Phil Wong, who represents the 30th Council District, which includes Middle Village and Maspeth, has called for stronger action to prevent similar gatherings
Videos from the scene show spectators lining the roadway as cars performed donuts and burnouts, with some people stepping back at the last moment to avoid oncoming vehicles
Most vehicles fled, but three individuals jumped on a police car, cracking its windshield before fleeing
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about so-called car takeovers, where drivers block intersections to perform stunts, often drawing large crowds and creating hazardous conditions for bystanders.
Authorities are continuing to review footage and gather information as the investigation progresses.
The illegal ‘street takeover’ trend began in California and has since been spreading across the nation, involving large groups who meet at a designated location late at night to perform dangerous stunts in their cars.
Often footage of the dangerous moves goes viral on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram.