Honking down Commerce Street downtown or along SW Military Drive has long been San Antonio’s favorite way to celebrate a Spurs playoff win, and fans have embraced nearly every opportunity to do it this season. But the atmosphere turned chaotic on the Southside on Wednesday, May 6, after the Spurs’ Game 2 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the San Antonio Police Department confirmed to MySA that two people were arrested.
According to SAPD, one 18-year-old male was arrested for reckless driving around 12:12 a.m. on May 7 after officers observed a vehicle “burning out.” This incident, and a second one, took place around Logwood Avenue, according to a report. A 20-year-old male was arrested for reckless driving and unlawfully carrying a weapon around 12:42 a.m. on May 7.
“Officers were patrolling the area of SW Military due to the high volume of spectators and traffic expected in the area,” the report reads. “Officers observed a vehicle ‘burning out,’ with disregard for the people in the immediate area. Officers made contact with the individual in the vehicle and continued their investigation. Meanwhile searching the suspect’s property, a firearm was located.”
A spokesperson for SAPD told MySA both suspects have been booked as of Thursday afternoon, noting that both cases are still “active and ongoing” investigations. According to the spokesperson, SAPD is aware of honking celebrations and “supports lawful celebratory activity but must also reduce any public safety risks, especially when vehicles and pedestrians are occupying the same space. Last night, after the Spurs victory, several individuals engaged in unsafe and illegal activity, which resulted in SAPD officers having to take enforcement action to maintain public safety.”
Videos posted to social media from SW Military Drive show a noticeable presence of officers during the honking celebration. One clip on Facebook documents the scene getting chaotic that night as officers approach a vehicle and seem to conduct a traffic stop. Later in the video, officers start pushing a crowd of pedestrian onlookers back, and some tension seems to build. People quickly begin booing, and the video shows officers pushing more onlookers back out of the street and onto the sidewalk as shouts continue. At least one individual was wrestled to the ground, according to the video. Other videos show police officers arriving in an armored vehicle to help control the crowds.
SAPD previously told MySA that while there are no specific statutes that limit honking celebrations, they “would advise people to celebrate responsibly, always wear your seatbelt, follow all traffic laws, do not exit your vehicle on an active roadway, and do not sit on top of moving vehicles.”