Residents of a Queens neighborhood stricken by unruly automobile meetup mobs begged officers for assist in a letter Monday – after one of many occasions sparked a near-riot on the streets.
The letter to Mayor Eric Adams and different state and federal politicians pleaded for town to take “decisive action” after surprising video emerged of a hoodlum horde vandalizing NYPD vehicles alongside Rockaway Boulevard in Ozone Park at about 1 a.m. Sunday.
The neighborhood is “under siege” by teams “who believe they can take over our streets, taunt residentsm and openly challenge the NYPD,” the letter obtained by The Publish stated.
“It is deeply troubling that these reckless gatherings are becoming a recurring issue, with participants flagrantly blocking roads, recording their activities, and broadcasting them on social media,” Sam Esposito, president of the Ozone Park Residents Block Affiliation, wrote Monday within the letter.
“We strongly urge the city to deploy a dedicated tactical response team in each borough to swiftly and effectively address these gatherings,” Esposito continued, including the issue will worsen because the climate warms.
“The current strain on NYPD resources is unsustainable, and without immediate intervention, we fear further injuries, fatalities, or even harm to officers attempting to dismantle these gatherings.”
The letter, additionally addressed to Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, Rep. Nydia Velázquez and a bunch of others, comes after cops responded to calls of dozens of individuals congregating on the road for a meetup and had been met with an indignant mob.
Alarming photos of the Rockaway Boulevard Bedlam unfold throughout social media, with eye-popping video displaying a handful of goons leaning on or slapping an unmarked automobile earlier than one vandal bought on the cruiser’s hood and cracked the windshield with a site visitors cone.
Others jumped on the automobile and threw one other cone at it earlier than the car pulled away with its sirens blaring, the footage confirmed.
The ruffians additionally threw site visitors cones at a marked NYPD cruiser through the skirmish, video exhibits.
A number of within the neighborhood stated the meet-ups are a daily factor, with tons of of individuals blocking site visitors and parking in locals’ driveways.
“They are out here every other Saturday night,” stated Julio, who has lived in Ozone Park for the final 20 years. “That s–t the other night was crazy — the whole block be full of cars, you couldn’t even come through.”
He added that the issue is escalating — and that the meet-ups occur “wherever there is a big open spot.”
His pal Will, who lives on the identical block, stated the teams come collectively each couple weeks.
“This last one, they were shooting fireworks,” he stated. “The one previously they weren’t shooting fireworks, but it was just crazy because they be all on top of the fence over there, parking in people’s driveways, traffic be backed up.”
Of their letter, the Ozone Park residents cited the January 2024 demise of 15-year-old Sabrina Villa-Gomez of Nanuet — who died throughout the same shindig within the Bronx — as proof of the meet-ups’ lethal penalties.
On Monday, her father Jorge Villa-Gomez stated the occasions the place drivers spin donuts or attempt different wild avenue stunts had been “very dangerous for the kids, for the families.”
“My heart is very very broken because … every time, I remember my daughter,” he stated. “I would tell police they have to pay more attention … they have to make [them] more controlled.”
Gilvante Roberson, 21, died in the identical accident that evening — and his heartbroken mother, Sabrina Roberson, stated she hopes youngsters study that the pursuit is “just not worth it.”
“That particular night … I hadn’t spoken to my son since that Saturday afternoon,” she stated. “The very last thing I stated to him was, ‘I love you.’ He stated ‘I love you too.’ That’s it.
“I didn’t see him no more until I had to view his body.”
She stated she needs town may give the youngsters a spot to carry out their tips extra safely, as an alternative of crowding onto town streets.
“I know New Yorkers are against [the meetups],” she stated. “However I really feel like if you need them to cease, give them a authorized area to do no matter they do and don’t disturb anyone and dissipate all that vitality.
“You can have a police presence there to make sure everything goes well or whatever,” she continued. “I don’t know. Because it’s not going to stop. I can tell you that right now.”
The NYPD reported no accidents in Sunday’s scrum however stated the vandals dented three police vehicles and broke a number of home windows.
Three individuals had been arrested later Sunday morning within the Bronx, sources stated.
Jordi Montesquieu, 23, of Massachusetts, was charged with third-degree prison mischief, second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree illegal fleeing a police automobile and obstructing governmental administration, police and sources stated.
Tyler Newman, 18, of New Hampshire, was hit with obstructing governmental administration — whereas 18-year-old Queens native Tristian Nandramn was charged with third-degree prison mischief, obstructing governmental administration, possession of stolen property and petty larceny, in accordance with cops and sources.
Nandram is accused of stealing paperwork from the again of a police automobile, sources stated.
Authorities stated they’re nonetheless attempting to find others concerned within the vandalism and recklessly driving vehicles Saturday evening into Sunday.
“We will not tolerate lawlessness or vandalism aimed at the police,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated on X, saying that “several” people had been arrested “for crimes that endangered our cops and our streets.”
“Rest assured, we’ll be back soon for the rest of them.”
PBA President Patrick Hendry claimed the dysfunction was a results of an “anti-police environment in the city.”
“Criminals feel free to terrorize our communities and attack cops because they believe they won’t be held accountable,” he stated. “Cops are sick and tired of dealing with this environment, and it’s another major reason they’re running for the exits.”
Esposito, of the Ozone Park group, known as on town management to take “decisive action before this issue spirals further out of control.”
“This has been a worsening trend over the past five years, with each incident growing in scale and audacity,” he wrote. “Our community deserves to feel safe, and law enforcement should not have to face these dangerous situations without proper support.”
