A chaotic overnight car meetup featuring a ring of fire and reckless driving startled residents in Middle Village early Saturday, according to police and neighbors.
Security video captured cars drifting around a fire in the middle of the intersection at Eliot Avenue and 69th Street around 1:40 a.m., as loud music and screeching tires echoed through the neighborhood.
What You Need To Know
A car meetup in Middle Village featured drifting cars circling a fire around 1:40 a.m. Saturday
Residents reported loud noise, fear and disruption, with some calling the scene “horrible”
Police say three people damaged a patrol vehicle while officers dispersed the crowd
Binita, a resident who lives across the street, said the noise woke her and her 4-year-old son.
“My reaction was just scared and then tried to console him,” she said.
Other nearby residents described the scene as “horrible” and “disgusting,” with one saying she had “never heard anything like that.”
The gathering drew concern from residents online, particularly because the activity took place in front of two gas stations.
Police said that as officers attempted to disperse the crowd, three unidentified individuals jumped onto the hood of a marked police vehicle, cracking the windshield before fleeing the scene.
Paulette Siegel, who lives on Eliot Avenue, said she was “horrified” by what she called a lack of respect for law enforcement.
“Just the lack of respect for the law is just terrible to me. That’s my big, big concern,” she said.
Additional police units responded to the scene to help deter reckless driving. One motorist was issued a summons for blocking a crosswalk, authorities said.
Residents say they worry incidents like this could become more frequent as temperatures rise.
City Council Member Phil Wong, who represents the district, said in a statement Saturday evening that he has been assured arrests will be made and that he plans to hold the NYPD accountable.
“I appreciate the work our cops do, but they need backing from elected officials, district attorneys and judges. Too often when they take action, they’re second-guessed or you see elected officials and activists calling for them to be fired instead of supported. That has to change if we are serious about protecting our quality of life,” Wong said.
Jay Delgado, who lives a few blocks away, said the incident has shaken the neighborhood’s sense of safety.
“Even in the safest areas, you always got to be careful. You got to look where you’re going, you got to pay attention to what’s around you, so stuff like this can happen,” Delgado said.
Wong said additional security measures, including drones and helicopters, will be deployed to monitor the area and prevent similar incidents.
Police said no injuries were reported. The investigation remains ongoing.