If you can identify these people call 203-735-7811
DERBY — Derby police are asking for the public’s help to identify suspects from a weekend street takeover where masked people hurled fireworks, spewed obscenities, and brazenly confronted police on Pershing Drive.
Derby Deputy Police Chief Brian Grogan said it happened around 1:10 a.m. Saturday (Dec. 9) on Pershing Drive in front of Red Raider Plaza.
“Hundreds of cars showed up on Pershing Drive,” Grogan said. “Our first officer arrived on scene immediately and many in the crowd were walking toward the cruiser, outnumbering our officer. They began hitting the hood of the cruiser, many of them were in masks, filming and the crowd continued to walk toward the officer. The officer backed away and waited for additional officers.”
The video below was released by Derby police.
Grogan said police from nearby Ansonia, as well as state police, arrived to help shortly after. Grogan said people continued to hurl fireworks at officers and scream obscenities.
“This mob mentality is very volatile and it can turn violent at any moment,” Grogan said.
Grogan said while some of the crowd continued to instigate and provoke police, others were doing donuts and other stunts with their vehicles further down on Pershing Drive near the Route 8 entrance and exit ramps.
Police were able to get the crowd to disperse after about 45 minutes. No officers were injured.
A second takeover happened at around 8 p.m. Saturday. But police in Ansonia, Derby and Shelton, apparently acting on a tip, were able to mount a response to deter the madness. Some of the vehicles were from New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Vermont, police said. Click here for a Valley Indy story.
The takeover that occurred in Derby involved several hundred vehicles on Pershing Drive, from KFC near Division Street down to the Route 8 exit and entrance ramps, according to Grogan.
The situation was a threat to both the public and to the police officers on scene.
Grogan released several videos from police dash cam and police cameras. In the videos, several people can be seen approaching police, throwing fireworks at them, while laughing and filming the event. Grogan said masked people were also banging on the hoods of police cars.
Grogan encouraged the public to not confront anyone involved in these street takeovers. Grogan said people caught in a takeover who get out of their cars are often faced with mobs of people jumping on their cars and antagonizing them.
“It’s important for people not to engage with these groups or provoke them in any way, because it does get volatile very quickly,” Grogan said.
The public can help police by alerting them of any information about pre-planned takeovers. Anyone with information or videos, or who can identify any of the people in the YouTube videos filmed on Pershing Drive are asked to contact Derby police. Callers are kept anonymous.
People can contact Derby Police Detective Frank DeAngelo at 203 – 901-3961, the Derby Police Department’s main number at 203 – 735-7811.
The FBI also has a local hotline to call.
“In the past there have been large meet-ups, and we’ve gotten calls about people doing burnouts and donuts, but never to this extent,” Grogan said. “This time they got very confrontational with us. Everybody is more emboldened, and this generation wants to film everything, and it’s just getting worse.”
Ansonia Police Chief Wayne Williams said anyone who breaks the law in these takeovers will be tracked down — even if it takes time.
“These violations of the law are taken seriously. While the officers on scene may not make on-site arrests due to the volume of people involved, it does not mean that arrests will not be made. Just because you get away does not mean you get away. Any damage, assaults or violations will be investigated and enforced by warrant, if necessary.”
