Since the spring, car shows have been held at different locations throughout Worcester, where reports of reckless driving, incidents of gunshots and property damage have occurred, according to a press release from the Worcester Police Department.
On Friday, July 19, officers responded to “several” calls throughout the day after citizens complained about these car shows and the “erratic” drivers who were present at the event.
One call at 10:19 a.m. that day had mentioned the finding of a bullet casing from a recent shooting at New Bond Street, a spot where large car shows are normally held, the release said.
Another call at 9:07 p.m. involved a large group of cars “driving recklessly and speeding through the busy shopping plaza” at the old Dick’s Sporting Goods on Lincoln Street.
When officers arrived, they reportedly found skid marks and tire tracks across the lot. Officers said they spoke to witnesses at the scene.
Citizens had also reported “a large gathering of vehicles at a lot” on New Bond Street at around 9:51 p.m. When officers responded, “a number of cars sped off.” However, the department said they managed to record the license plates of some of those vehicles.
Officers had learned that the group posted gathering spots online with 330 Southwest Cutoff as one of the venues, the release states. When officers arrived at the spot at around 11:43 p.m., they “could hear loud music and engines revving.”
Officers recognized some of the vehicles from the New Bond Street location earlier that evening, the department said. Around 30 vehicles had gathered behind a building.
At this point, officers arrested 53 people and one child and charged them with trespassing. A patrol wagon and a bus were used to transport the arrestees to the police station, according to the release.
“No injuries were reported,” the department said in the release. “Family and friends of the arrestees were allowed to drive their vehicles away from the scene in lieu of towing.”
“These types of dangerous gatherings put innocent members of our community at risk and will not be tolerated in the City of Worcester,” interim Police Chief Paul Saucier said in the release.
Officers conducted an additional search of the Southwest Cutoff parking lot on Saturday at around 8:55 a.m., to make sure that no firearms were left behind by the group.
“This was done as a public safety measure because of the numerous calls for shots fired during recent gatherings,” the release said. “No weapons were found.”
