New York City Council member Vickie Paladino described her Queens neighborhood as descending into chaos in the early hours of 23/11. A group of reckless drivers arrived, organizing high-speed car spinning challenges. The drivers performed stunts, revving engines and pulling handbrakes, causing their cars to spin around a central point, creating thick smoke and loud noises.
"A security guard attempted to maintain order but was assaulted by the group, and his car was set on fire. Another local resident was also attacked," she stated, adding that the slow response from the 911 hotline disappointed residents.
"Violent street takeovers like these should be dealt with forcefully by the police. We never used to face this problem; now it has become an epidemic. This is due to our cessation of arresting criminals," she wrote on X, sharing three videos of the incident.
A group of reckless drivers gathered in Queens, assaulting local residents and burning a car on 23/11. Video: X/VickieforNYC
The NY Post, citing sources, reported the disturbance occurred in the Malba neighborhood of Queens around 0:30, involving about 40 people and leaving at least three injured.
Victim Blake Ferrer stated he approached the drivers, asking them to leave the premises, but was immediately attacked, suffering a broken nose and ribs. His wife was also caught in the crossfire.
Larry Rusch, 59, owner of a security company and whose car was burned, described the neighborhood as "complete chaos." Rusch recounted using his company car to block an intersection. Soon after, two individuals from the group threw fireworks at his vehicle. Police reported a 41-year-old resident also had objects thrown at his car while attempting to intervene.
Residents reported the area has long been a gathering spot for drivers to perform stunts, but had never witnessed such violence. Paladino noted that many armed residents showed restraint, but warned that "such restraint cannot last indefinitely," urging authorities to take stronger action.
"The city must step in to end this disregard for the law. Traffic cameras cannot stop anyone. We need police and the strongest penalties for this type of crime, to prevent them from driving away after causing trouble. This situation is occurring across the city because criminals face no consequences," Paladino wrote.
By Thanh Danh (Source: NY Post)
