Philadelphia Leaders Vow To Stop 'Irresponsible' Behavior After Driving Stunts Outside City Hall Caught On Camera
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The mayor of Philadelphia, as well as the district attorney and police commissioner, are making a promise to crack down on dangerous driving stunts in the city after videos surfaced of drivers doing donuts in front of city hall.
The videos popped up over the weekend, showing hundreds of people watching what authorities called "reckless" stunts.
Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw issued a joint statement Tuesday that said, in part:
"On Saturday night, several hundred individuals gathered on streets just next to City Hall, to watch or engage in activities that were incredibly reckless and needlessly endangered people. We strongly condemn these individuals' careless actions, which included setting off fireworks, blocking roads, and performing dangerous stunts with their vehicles. Just last year, we saw the highest number of traffic deaths on record due to people driving too fast and being unable to control their car and react. These irresponsible activities put the public at risk of serious harm and cannot and will not be tolerated anywhere in Philadelphia."
The police department said one of the gatherings included around 200 people. No injuries were reported, and no arrests were initially made over the weekend.
The statement went on to describe the stunts as an ongoing issue, adding, "[T]he Philadelphia Police Department has continuously deployed personnel to address this recurrent problem. These events impede anti-violence efforts in our neighborhoods as police resources are forced to activate and break up these dangerous gatherings, instead of remaining focused on preventing violence in our most vulnerable and at-risk neighborhoods."
Anyone with information on these incidents should call 215-686-TIPS (8477).
