Police say hundreds of cars were involved in illegal car gatherings in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Philadelphia police responded to 11 illegal car meets in the city over the weekend, where large crowds and hundreds of vehicles occupied intersections to sell doughnuts and set off fireworks on the street.

According to police, these meetings took place throughout the night, from about 9:30 p.m. Saturday to 4:30 a.m. Sunday, in various neighborhoods, including Northeast Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Center City and Spring Garden.

In an update Sunday afternoon, police provided further details on several of the incidents currently under investigation.

“This behavior will not be tolerated. We firmly believe that last night's actions were retaliation for the aggressive police actions we have seen since the beginning of Mayor Parker's administration,” Deputy Commissioner Francis Healy said in a press conference.

Healy went on to warn everyone involved in the car meets last night that the police already have a photo of them.

“If you think you escaped last night, you didn't,” he said. “So if you hear that knock on the door, it's us. We're coming with search warrants and arrest warrants.”

The chaos began around 9:30 p.m., when police said about 50 cars were involved in a gathering in the 7400 block of Bustleton Avenue. Officers issued warnings to nine people for illegal driving and 15 people they observed on the road. Police said one driver attempted to flee the scene by driving directly toward officers and “collided with a civilian vehicle.” Police said they have identified the driver and an arrest warrant is outstanding.

Ana Silva and Aylla Bianca were having a pajama party on Saturday night when they both heard a commotion coming from the parking lot across the street on Bustleton Avenue.

“There were a lot of police cars and we thought, ‘What’s going on?’” said Bianca.

Just before midnight, about 100 cars “drifted” at the corner of 20th and Pattison Avenue near FDR Park, displaying reckless driving. Police said two people, including a minor, were arrested after they tried to flee from police but crashed into a pole.

Around the same time, a video posted overnight showed cars driving in the middle of the street while fireworks exploded at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Spring Garden Street. Police said no injuries were reported and they were able to eventually disperse the crowd. The fire chief was also called to that location to investigate the incident.

At about 1:30 a.m., about 100 cars occupied 25th and Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police Captain Andrew DiSanto said at the same time, cars in the area were doing doughnuts and shooting off fireworks. Witnesses told investigators that a man fired a gun twice in the area.

DiSanto said no people or vehicles were hit by the gunfire, but officers found a live bullet and a shell casing in the area. An airsoft rifle was also found in a nearby garage. “Police were able to disperse the vehicles without further incident,” DiSanto said.

About an hour and a half later, another large crowd occupied 23rd and Pennsylvania Avenue, near Eakins Oval and the Philadelphia Art Museum, and again set off fireworks while doing doughnuts. Several police vehicles were also damaged in that area.

At 4 a.m., police said more than 200 cars were drifting and drag racing at the intersection of Island Avenue and Bartram Avenue, with officers reportedly assaulted and a police car damaged.

More police vehicles were damaged and officers were attacked right outside City Hall around 4:30 a.m., while more than 100 cars were roaming around and setting trash on fire, according to the PPD. A video showed people and cars blocking traffic downtown while a car swerved around a group of people standing at an intersection.

Several police vehicles were also damaged at the scene, and a paramedic rushed to City Hall after a woman's foot was allegedly run over by a car. Police said the police vehicles' windshields were shattered and their tires were flat.

Philadelphia police said the department had assigned “dozens of officers” to address the illegal gatherings over the weekend, but noted that “unfortunately, law enforcement cannot prevent all of them and, even with the information available, it is not possible to immediately and safely stop the events due to the threat to officer and citizen safety.”

PPD said investigators will use the “significant amount of evidence” collected during these incidents, including cameras, to make arrests. Authorities believe the incidents were coordinated.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (215) 686-TIPS (8477).