Crowd Damages Minneapolis Police Squad Car As Drivers Do Burnouts, Donuts On Downtown Streets
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police say a group of drivers contributed to a dangerous and hostile situation overnight in downtown Minneapolis -- and it was all caught on camera.
Video posted on social media shows the intersection of Washington and 3rd avenues in the North Loop neighborhood filled with cars, and drivers doing donuts and burnouts.
Police say the group also engaged in reckless driving in north Minneapolis and the Seward neighborhood.
Diners were out on the patios in the North Loop Sunday. Still, restaurant owners say business is down. Jeff Rogers owns Wrecktangle Pizza on Washington Avenue.
"People over here are not frequenting," Rogers said. "People are fleeing."
READ MORE: 'I Felt Both My Legs Burning': Man Struck By Drag Racer Going 100MPH In Downtown Mpls.
His team, including Breanna Evans, stayed late at the restaurant Saturday night to prep for an event.
"It just felt eerie and like there's a lot of cars, skid marks, smoke, and we're like, 'It just feels weird around here,'" Evans said.
The skid marks were easily visible Sunday. Police said that there were dozens of vehicles involved, which made them difficult to track down.
In the video, squad car lights can be seen as police arrived. The Minneapolis Police Department says officers were met with hostile and aggressive behavior, with rocks and bottles being thrown at them. Police spokesperson John Elder says one squad car was damaged.
"The fact of the matter is that these people are creating a dangerous environment that threatens the safety of others while damaging property. This is a pattern of behavior that has plagued cities across the metro, especially this summer," Elder said.
Diners, like Alex Fox of Rochester, told WCCO they will keep coming downtown.
"Just keeping an open eye and making sure, you know, masking up always and taking care of ourselves, but I think we generally do feel pretty safe," Fox said.
Police say the group had dispersed by the time enough officers responded. One person was given a citation.
READ MORE: Brazen 'Hot Rodders' Do Burnouts, Donuts Next To Downtown Minneapolis Police Precinct