PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Videos on social media show cars doing donuts at 15th Street and JFK Boulevard in Center City, just to the west side of City Hall, with a crowd of people surrounding.
It happened Saturday night, but the Philadelphia Police Department released a statement saying there have been several similar incidents all over the city in recent days, one of which involved more than 200 vehicles.
In one video, people can be seen jumping on police cars.
No one was arrested, and police say they are actively investigating.
At a press conference, First Deputy for the District Attorney’s Office Bob Listenbee said police officers must file citations for traffic-related violations, but the situation can escalate to require criminal charges.
"There’s a lot more going on there. I’d have to wait and find out from the police officers what they saw, what happened that precipitated those events, and what happened after those events occurred. If they inform us of charges, and arrest folks, we will follow through. That I can assure you," Listenbee said.
"I personally believe that the kind of behavior we saw is an indication of a kind of lawless street going on here in the city and county of Philadelphia and needs to stop. That kind of behavior is just not acceptable, right here in Center City, in front of City Hall. It’s just not acceptable. Nor is it acceptable in the communities where it’s occurring as well. Young people need to find other outlets for their energy besides blocking traffic and behaving in what I consider to be reckless manners."
District Attorney Larry Krasner was not at the press conference to answer questions.
Related
The full statement from the PPD:
The Philadelphia Police Department is aware of several crowds and large car gatherings that took place throughout the city last night and early this morning. These gatherings have been an ongoing issue within the city and the PPD has continuously deployed personnel to address this recurrent problem.
The PPD did break up several of these gatherings over the weekend, one which involved more than 200 vehicles. Our number one priority is the safety of the public, which can, and often does become compromised when individuals behave in a reckless manner that endangers themselves and those around them.
While there were no injuries reported to police and no arrests made, the PPD is actively investigating these incidents to determine whether charges will be forthcoming.
Related
