Man wanted, suspect arrested in connection with Philadelphia car meetups in September, police say
Philadelphia police on Monday announced another arrest and an additional suspect who is wanted in connection with a series of illegal car meetups in the city in September.
Police have an active arrest warrant for 19-year-old Samuel Merrill Hoffman, of Reading, who they say was the No. 2 promoter of the car meetups, creating content for social media and making money off of it.
Inspector Raymond Evers said during a press conference Monday that investigators found out from another promoter who was arrested that influencers were making money from sharing lists of meetups on social media and selling advertising.
Evers said police have arrested 20-year-old Ezra Walker of Enola, Pennsylvania, who was seen "drifting" in a blue Camaro at several locations in Philadelphia during the incidents. They arrested Walker a few days after state police found the Camaro at his workplace in the Reading area, police said.
In total, police have made at least 10 arrests across multiple states, confiscated 32 vehicles and served more than 45 search warrants in connection with the meetups. The investigation is ongoing, Evers said.
