Map shows where street ‘takeovers’ turned violent across Mass.
Police across four Massachusetts communities were confronted with large, unruly crowds that led to violent confrontations last weekend.
The incidents included a cruiser set on fire in Boston , fireworks shot at a police cruiser in Randolph , a Dodge Charger driven at an officer in Middleborough and an ambulance blocked from getting through in Fall River .
Officials are calling the incidents "takeovers" — a growing national trend and social media phenomenon that leads to large crowds gathering that can lead to violence.
Street takeovers involve dozens or hundreds of cars meeting up in one location to do "doughnuts", race and drive recklessly, according to the Police Executive Research Forum , a law enforcement research and policy organization based in Washington, D.C.
Sometimes they are called "car meetups" or "sideshows."
Historically, law enforcement has had difficulty containing these events because they "move fast and dissolve quickly," according to legal experts .
Attempted car strike in Middleborough
The first reported street takeover of the weekend took place in Middleborough at about 11 p.m. on Saturday night, where about 50 vehicles and dozens of people got together in a commercial parking lot at Routes 105 and 28, according to Massachusetts State Police.
Several vehicles used stolen plates, and a Dodge Charger with Connecticut plates attempted to strike a police officer on scene, state police said.
Police later spotted the Dodge Charger on Interstate 495 and began to pursue the vehicle onto Interstate 195 west toward Rhode Island. Troopers ended the pursuit when it crossed state lines and assisting Rhode Island troopers lost sight of the vehicle during their response, police said.
Police cruiser on fire in Boston
A Boston police cruiser was set on fire as a crowd of 100 people gathered on the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street around 12:26 a.m. Sunday.
Police had arrived to break up the crowd but were met with cones, poles and other objects being thrown at their cruisers. At least one police cruiser was hit by fireworks from multiple angles.
The fireworks caused the cruiser, which had a police officer inside, to catch fire. Several people also started jumping on the hood and prevented the officer inside from getting away from the crowd or being able to see, according to a prosecutor in court on Monday.
The officer escaped their cruiser after it began to fill with "sparks and smoke," and other officers jumped in to help with tasers and "unholstered" guns, the prosecutor said.
Police saw an 18-year-old, later identified as Julian Bowers, throwing objects at the cruiser and arrested him after a foot chase. A 19-year-old, later identified as William Cantwell, was seen smashing an orange pole off the cruiser several times and then arrested, according to a police report filed in court.
Punched police cars in Randolph
Police in Randolph were also met with a rowdy crowd of more than 100 people who struck cruisers with fists and other objects before setting off fireworks at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning, officials said.
"This was carried out by individuals who were concealing their faces with masks and videotaping themselves," police said. "These individuals continued and sat on the hoods of the cruiser and lit fireworks off, placing the officer inside in extreme danger."
Blocked roads in Fall River
Police responded to multiple reports of reckless driving, street racing and blocked roadways around 12:26 a.m. Sunday in Fall River. Those incidents were part of a "coordinated and preplanned event intended to disrupt traffic and disturb the peace of the community," police wrote in a statement posted to Facebook .
"These gatherings intentionally block roads, endanger the public through negligent vehicle operation, and interfere with emergency services. Such actions are deliberate public disturbances and are not protected assemblies," Fall River police wrote.
The assembled crowd forced a private ambulance to re-route on Innovation Way when they refused to let it pass. Later, police responded to Davol and Central streets, where roughly 200 people had gathered, completely blocking the roadway.
At the intersection, several people in high-visibility vests acted as road guards while vehicles performed burnouts and doughnuts, and the crowd set off fireworks in the street, police said. Many of those in the crowd wore masks to conceal their faces and "showed complete disregard for police presence," the statement reads.
Police described the blockage of Davol Street as a "serious public safety hazard for Fall River and surrounding towns" because it provides direct access to St. Anne's Hospital and Charlton Memorial Hospital.
The group is believed to have gathered in Brockton before traveling as a "convoy" to Fall River. At the scene, police towed four vehicles and made five arrests. Police also sought a warrant for an additional suspect and are working to identify others through body-worn camera footage.
"This premeditated and unlawful event endangered the public, obstructed emergency response, and disrupted the community's peace," police wrote.
Street "takeovers"
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