Police Trace Large Disturbance to Drag Racers

Police in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park spent Saturday night dispersing large groups of drag racers from parking lots.

According to law enforcement officials, more than 400 vehicles had gathered in a parking lot near Dollar Tree off Highway 100 in Brooklyn Center around 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 25.

These gatherings are not uncommon, but have the potential to turn violent, said Brooklyn Park Police Inspector Matt Rabe.

“Sometimes it’s fine and it’s quiet and it’s not really an issue,” he said. “We don’t really have to take any action or do anything. This night in question, they’re revving their engines, they’re being super loud, they’re racing around. In the past, we’ve even seen automatic gunfire at some of these events.”

Police dispersed hundreds of cars from parking lots in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park on Saturday.

The Brooklyn Center Police Department requested help from other agencies to disperse the vehicles. 

The Minnesota State Patrol, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Brooklyn Park Police Department responded, setting up road blocks and redirecting vehicles onto the highway. 

Once the group left, a smaller faction met at the park-and-ride at 95th Avenue and Noble Parkway in Brooklyn Park and were again dispersed.

“What we’ve also seen in the past is groups of individuals that are filming this and they’re streaming it to YouTube — they actually make money this way, streaming it to YouTube,” Rabe said. “When that happens, there’s every reason for them to amp the situation up, to start doing donuts, to get violent, because all it does is it gets more clicks, it gets more views, it gets more attention.”

Police are also on alert for youth park takeover meetings as the summer months approach. 

Brooklyn Center | Brooklyn Park