NEW ORLEANS — Police are releasing images of people and cars in hopes of tracking down the people behind illegal car stunts that have been causing major traffic issues in New Orleans.
New Orleans police shared photos of three people identified as “persons of interest” as well as four vehicles that investigators said were involved in a “burn out” event on June 5 in the city. In a news release accompanying the photos, officers said two of the people pictured “were captured on video jumping onto and kicking a marked (New Orleans Police Department) unit during a ‘burn out’ event, where individuals were recklessly operating automobiles in the intersection.”
Videos posted to social media show vehicles driving donuts into intersections at dangerous speeds, WVUE reported.
Other videos show massive amounts of traffic backed up while cars revved their engines and drove donuts dangerously close to onlookers. Those videos also show people appearing to jump onto the hood of a moving police SUV.
In a news conference addressing “pop-up” stunt driving shows, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson promised to crack down on the problem, WVUE reported.
“There’s no way in hell we should be allowing anyone to come into our city and rule our city,” Ferguson said. “The disrespect was real and the response is going to be very real.”
Ferguson announced plans to make drivers involved in the stunt shows face harsher penalties, including sentences of up to 15 years in jail.
“You’re not only jeopardizing the citizens, you’re disrespecting our officers’ lives,” Ferguson said.
A council member has proposed a city ordinance to define “pop-up stunt car shows” as a separate crime.
“It’s going to define stunt acting and it’s also going to hold spectators accountable because these guys are doing it because of the spectators,” city councilman Eugene Green told WWL.
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