Three NYPD vehicles were vandalized by an unruly mob of more than 200 people during a car meetup in Queens that went haywire, police said Monday.
Three suspects were later nabbed in the Bronx and police released surveillance photos of others, many clad in masks, still being sought.
“We will not tolerate lawlessness or vandalism aimed at the police,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on X, announcing that several individuals were arrested “for crimes that endangered our cops and our streets.”
Meet-ups, with group of car enthusiasts gathering en masse and often racing each other and performing stunts, have happened with greater frequency since the early days of the COVID pandemic.
The mayhem kicked off shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday near Rockaway Boulevard and 97th Ave. in Ozone Park. police said.
Three NYPD vehicles, two of them unmarked, were vandalized as the unruly crowd surrounded the vehicles, video shows. The cars were dented, with a number of windows broken with traffic cones, police said.
As more cops were called to the scene the group dispersed, with more than 200 vehicles speeding off in all directions.,
Police later busted three people in the Bronx. Jordi Montesquieu, 23, of Massachusetts, was charged with fleeing a police car, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and obstructing governmental administration. Tyler Newman, 18, of New Hampshire, was charged with was obstructing governmental administration. Tristian Nandram, 18, of Queens, was charged criminal mischief, obstructing governmental administration and, for allegedly taking paperwork from the back of a police car, petty larceny and possession of stolen property.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
