Even with a tough new law giving police and prosecutors the tools necessary to really sock it to street takeover participants and spectators, a big group coordinated one in a Tampa, Florida residential neighborhood and got busted. While there were hundreds in attendance, police were able to nab ten of them, hitting each one with criminal charges.
10-year-old steals his mom’s car and drives 200 miles away.
The event was held late on August 31 and spread chaos quickly. One man said cars were driving across his front lawn, tearing it up, and one even hit his house. Others recounted how they saw kids with guns as law enforcement descended on the neighborhood and started chasing down suspects, running into fleeing cars to stop them from getting away.
In other words, the scene was absolute turmoil. But it sounds like that was the case before cops showed up. Just the nature of the chaos shifted once the bust began.
According to Tampa news station Fox 13, the youngest of the ten arrested by police were two 17-year-olds. Reportedly, many of the people who were in attendance for the takeover event came from out of town, word spreading through social media as often happens.
Because hundreds or more of people can just suddenly show up in a location, it can be difficult for police to mobilize a response, let alone catch most of the takeover participants. The kids know this and purposely try creating as much chaos as possible so they can get away. It’s essentially a big game to them.
We bet nobody living in that neighborhood feels a bit of sympathy for the takeover crowd, even if maybe before they did. When this stuff ends up right on your front lawn it hits different, especially when your property is damaged and your life is put in jeopardy.
Image via Fox 13 Tampa/YouTube
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