If only this were a complete shock…
Last weekend Wildwood, New Jersey was host to a street takeover event where two people were killed. Also called “sideshows” these street takeover involve a group of people coordinating over social media to descend on a public intersection or sometimes a large parking lot, shutting it down so they can do burnouts, donuts, and other tricks. These events bring in all kinds of crime and are dangerous for the attendees and any innocent citizens who happen to come across them.
Learn more about street takeovers here.
According to a report from the Associated Press, this event involved several car crashes. Many of the vehicles used in street takeovers are stolen, so they’re treated about how you’d expect, meaning crashes are common. Compounding this problem is the fact kids want to get the best photos and video of the cars performing stunts, so they stand right by them and that’s usually how people are killed. But this time it was different.
The two victims were reportedly in a golf cart and authorities think they weren’t even watching the event. Like we said, innocent civilians who come across these gatherings absolutely are at risk. Even responding police officers have been attacked when they first pull up on street takeovers.
Authorities aren’t saying how the people in the golf cart were killed, but reporters did observe considerable damage to storefronts and parking meters where the takeover took place. One person was taken into custody after the fatal accident.
Sadly, this all happened at the same time Wildwood was hosting the Fall Classic Car Show, so some people are saying they’re connected. In fact, the AP report mentions officials from other cities insist the show has caused problems in the past. This is why we’re so against street takeovers – they give a bad name to the hobby and could mean the end of legitimate shows, cruises, and other gatherings.
Source: AP
Images via YouTube
