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In Austin, Texas, an out-of-control street racing takeover resulted in the burning of several spectators and the injury of one police officer.
According to the Austin Police Department, there were many 911 reports made about 9 p.m. on Saturday concerning a group of people and automobiles blocking an intersection, blowing off fireworks, and engaging in street racing in the downtown area.
Once the riotous mob started hurling pyrotechnics, bottles, rocks, and lasers at the arriving police officers, many police cars were destroyed.
According to the agency, “one officer received a non-life threatening injury, was treated at a nearby hospital, and was discharged.”
Authorities are still looking into the event after apprehending two persons for resisting arrest.
“APD is dedicated to putting a stop to this behavior. Enforcement and arrests will ensue from breaching the law in this way. The safety of our community is APD’s top concern, the agency said on Twitter.
A pickup vehicle was seen performing donuts at a crossroads while driving through flames in a social media footage depicting the chaotic takeover.
A tiny explosion caused fire to erupt toward a gathering of people who were momentarily enveloped in flames as the truck drove over the flames on the ground.
In the video, there are many instances of individuals catching fire as they run for safety while removing their clothing, while others try to pat them down while still laughing and clapping.
Their health status is unclear.
Another video that was shared on Twitter showed a large crowd pushing back a police car by banging on the hood, oblivious to the emergency vehicle’s flashing lights and sirens.
The throng started to scatter, but the commotion continued until almost two in the morning.
Local councilwoman Alison Alter expressed her displeasure about the occurrence and said that when she tried to phone 911 to report the takeover, she was placed on wait for 28 minutes, according to Austin American-Statesman.
According to a Fox News article from October, Austin has struggled with a lack of 911 operators, resulting in average call wait times of 2.5 minutes.
The Austin Police Association blamed Austin legislators who “failed to make the appropriate judgments & continue to defund, degrade, & demoralize public safety” on social media.
Other Texas senators started advocating for a way to halt these perilous takeovers after seeing the mayhem on social media.
God bless our valiant blue-clad personnel! Particularly those employed in places like Austin where they are attacked, mistreated, and devalued, stated State Representative Jeff Leach on Twitter.
About the Takeover, Rep. Vikki Goodwin said on Twitter, “We should come together as a community to work out how to prohibit this from occurring again, how to keep our town secure, and how to empower our law enforcement to react in a swift and efficient way.”
Hundreds of people and several vehicles often congregate in an unapproved location, such as a crossroads or highway, obstruct traffic, and engage in risky and erratic stunts and activities.
»Texas street racing spectators set fires and create trouble«
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