AUSTIN, Texas — Video from Central Austin on Saturday night showed what police are calling “street racing incidents,” including a large street takeover at the intersection of South Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road.
The Austin Police Department said one officer was injured in the incident and several police cars were damaged. Travis County also had two patrol cars damaged.
"APD is committed to stopping this conduct," the department said. "Lawbreaking in this manner will result in enforcement and arrest. Our community's safety is the #1 priority for APD."
In an update on Sunday night, police said at least two people were arrested.
Witness video shows cars spinning in circles, crowds running at police cars and setting off fireworks.
Joseph Becker works along South Lamar Boulevard where some of it all unfolded.
On Sunday, he told KVUE he first saw drivers doing donuts at the intersection near Barton Springs Road before things escalated.
"Some of the cars were leaving, like fish-tailing out of here, you know, so it was a little nerve-wrecking even being on the sidewalk here," said Becker. "I can't believe more people didn't get hurt, honestly."
Others like Seven Antonopoulos, who heard about the incident through social media and news reports, said he wasn't too shocked to learn about what happened but hopes officials find a way to handle these situations.
One video shows those crowds pushing back a police car on Barton Springs Road, then the crowd throwing a firework at the car. The view is from the parking lot of the Peter Pan Mini Golf course.
The witness who took the video described the scene as “chaos.”
Other witness video from the scene zooms into the distance, where cars are doing donuts in the crowd while fireworks are set off in the middle of the crowd.
That witness estimated there were hundreds of people at the event, blocking the street.
Austin police said on Saturday night they were investigating a number of “street racing incidents” across Austin. They say this is reckless behavior and poses significant risks and dangers to the public.
“APD remains committed to enforcing the law and keeping our community safe,” the department said.
APD said officers received calls about "street takeovers" at four different locations throughout Austin, starting at around 9 p.m., with the last call around 2 a.m.
The Austin Police Association, the police union that is currently at odds with the City of Austin as the two negotiate police contracts, blamed local lawmakers for the incident on Saturday, saying they "failed to make the right decisions & continue to defund, destroy, & demoralize public safety."
Videos from the scene also caught the attention of State Rep. Jeff Leach, a North Texas Republican, who argued police in Austin are "undervalued, underpaid and under attack."
Republican Central Texas Rep. Chip Roy also appeared to blame City policing policy for the incident, saying, "I apologize to the APD officers who have to put up with this crap, only to have city leaders play games with your contract."
Meanwhile, Austin-area Democratic State Rep. Vikki Goodwin denounced the event in a post on social media, saying, "This is a terrible event that happened last night in Austin. We should come together as a community to figure out how to keep this from happening again, how to keep our community safe, and how to enable our law enforcement to respond in a quick and effective manner."
City of Austin Mayor Kirk Watson released the following statement regarding the incidents:
"As the Austin Police Department has stated, the street takeovers over the weekend were illegal and outrageous; they will result in arrest. I’m relieved that the injured police officer is doing OK and the vehicle damage was limited.
“The dramatic videos have gone viral and made some folks Internet famous but, for me, the bigger issue is the significant wait times for 911 calls. Our 911 call center received four times the normal number of 911 calls during the incident on Saturday night and that led to unacceptably long waits. I’ve talked to Interim City Manager Jesús Garza and Chief Chacon about our options for dealing with our ongoing staffing challenges at 911 and hope to have at least a temporary solution soon.
“The Austin Police Association posted some false comments on Sunday that appeared to wrongly conflate this illegal incident with important community conversations about safety and oversight. Twitter is not an appropriate forum for contract negotiations, and no Austinite should ever accept the false choice between public safety and responsible policing — Austin can, and will, have both. If the Austin Police Association would like to talk about staffing and other issues, we welcome them back to the negotiating table to discuss a one-year contract.
“While we wait on the APA, the Austin City Council will take up an ordinance this week that will assure APD officers’ wages, benefits and payout of sick leave hours upon separation are continued as covered under the current contract, even if the City and the police union do not reach an agreement before the current contract expires on March 31. We want our police officers and their families to know that they are supported by this City.
“This ordinance will also establish the authority of the Office of the Police Oversight as an investigator as permitted by state law. This option will allow for investigations of anonymous complaints by citizens and police officers.
“I believe this ordinance can accomplish our goals, protect and provide security for our police officers, and allow for a robust and effective civilian oversight. But let me be clear – this is not a better outcome than a one-year agreement with the police association. It would be better for everyone if they would return to the negotiating table now, but if they do not then we must pass this ordinance to maintain effective recruiting and retention of APD officers.”
The event is an example of an illegal street takeover, or "sideshow," typically where “flash mobs” of hundreds of people arrive at an intersection to block traffic and show off dangerous car stunts like drifting and speeding. Videos of the events are then posted to social media, which helps fuel interest in the activities.
Saturday night's event was promoted as the Lone Star Car Show on Instagram. The Instagram accounts said the event featured takeover groups from across Texas, including San Antonio and Houston.