15, a group of people at a street takeover police described as a “flash mob” stormed a 7-Eleven in Willowbrook. There’s also a growing criminal element at takeovers, police say, with officers finding handguns and drugs on people who are taken into custody. While law enforcement agencies coordinate with one another on street racing and takeover calls, the general consensus is the problem is getting worse. “Our hands are tied by our limited resources, and we can’t really deal with the crowds.” We’ve had people get run over while cars are leaving. “If you really have two patrol cars out there, you can’t do anything with 200 other cars on the runway,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Those who live in or near Compton say street racing and takeovers have defiled the city the topic has become a regular point of discussion during council meetings, with residents like David Castillo pleading for action.Ĭastillo and his family were driving home from Walmart in March when they were struck by a lime-green Ford Mustang doing doughnuts near Wilmington Avenue and Stockwell Street. The perfectly painted white crosswalks on the major intersections near her home are marred by a tangle of black tracks. “It’s like a war zone,” former Compton Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun said. Data on takeovers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were not available. During the same span this year, the LAPD has reported 705 takeovers. In the first six months of 2021, there were 500 reported sideshows in the city of Los Angeles, according to data from the Los Angeles Police Department.
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Takeovers have grown in popularity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when city streets were devoid of drivers during lockdowns. In the aftermath, glistening shards of broken glass sprinkle the roads and black tire marks tattoo the asphalt. They often sprawl across multiple roads, with hordes of spectators blocking intersections to watch drivers hurtle around - sometimes scattering when vehicles careen into the crowd. The illegal street takeovers, or sideshows, have been a part of urban Southern California culture for years. Two cars whipped around the intersection, burning tires and worn-down brake pads sending shrouds of thick smoke into the air. About 40 minutes later, the women - who didn’t wish to be identified by their last names - had their answer: East Compton Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue.Ī little after midnight, nearly 200 people blocked the streets in what has become a weekly ritual in the city. She and Dora grabbed some tacos from a stand and waited. Cindy and Dora didn’t know where they were going on a recent Saturday night, but they knew they were headed to a “show.”Īround 11 p.m., Cindy texted a friend in Compton but didn’t immediately hear back.
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