"Stop this very dangerous activity": Car chaos in Spring Garden shuts down intersection
PHILADELPHIA – Tire marks are all that remains at the intersection of 23rd and Spring Garden Streets following car chaos there over the weekend.
Cars, including what looks like a rented pick-up truck from one video sent to CBS News Philadelphia, took over the street just before 11 p.m. Saturday.
Keith Richards lives in a nearby apartment building.
"It was louder than anything I've heard before," Richards said. "They were just going in circles and circles and circles and smoke and smoke and smoke."
Ellen Lipschutz also lives in the area, and frequents the busy intersection.
"It's a sad commentary on people who don't want to follow the rules and don't want to respect the community," Lipschutz said.
We showed her and other neighbors videos shared with CBS News Philadelphia of the weekend incident.
"I feel like the city right now is in a weird place. There are a lot of teenagers and a lot of young adults with not much to do constructively," Nicole Keys said. She walks through the area to head to work.
Over the years and throughout the city – similar car meet-ups – and ATV and dirt bike incidents have happened before. The big concern then – and now – is over safety.
"It's really scary. It's dangerous for the drivers, it's dangerous for the pedestrians and it's a noise hazard," Lipschutz said.
Philadelphia Police tell CBS News Philadelphia it is unknown how many vehicles were involved in this particular incident. A spokesperson adds everyone "dispersed from the area" once officers arrived Saturday night.
"Just all of a sudden there was just hundreds of people here," Jim Pavlock said.
He is describing what unfolded feet from his house Saturday night in Spring Garden.
"A lot of people with ski masks on and cars driving around in a circle -- a drift session as I guess they call it," Pavlock said.
Pavlock and other neighbors we spoke to – who all called 9-1-1 that night -- are concerned not only over safety issues but police response time.
"It just went on and on and what was surprising is that the police never came for 25-30 minutes it seemed," Pavlock said.
"I'm not trying to make excuses for response time, but there is a simple reality is that we don't have enough police in the city of Philadelphia," City Council President Darrell Clarke, who also represents District 5, said he has had several meetings with concerned neighbors over incidents like this.
"Right now we're probably a little over 600 police down from our recommended level. We shortly will be 700 with soon to come retirements," Clarke said. He continued once the public safety officers begin, "That'll probably put around 150 more police officers on the street. We will still be understaffed."
Clarke said for this area – solutions in the works include adding technology like installing red-light cameras and more police on the street following the addition of public safety officers.
"Stop this very dangerous activity. Clearly this is something that can kill people," Clarke said.
Philadelphia Police said no arrests have been made. They encourage anyone who hears or sees a gathering like this on social media, to call 911.