UPDATED 1:48 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria Police have issued a warning about a new crack-down on so-called “Pop Up Parties” and reckless “Roving Vehicle Caravans”
Police Chief Eric Echevarria Thursday talked to reporters about them happening once again here, at the site of one over the weekend near the Gateway building downtown where many tire treads could be seen in the road, and where two years ago a dozen people were shot at such a party.
“We don’t have a problem with our young men and women coming out and parking their cars, opening their hoods, and hanging out. That’s not the issue here that’s at hand,” said Echevarria. “The issue is the drag racing, the running the red lights to get here, and the caravans.”
Hundreds of youngsters will suddenly arrive at a location — generally where there is open land — and begin partying and hanging out together in events that are likely organized on social media.
Police say it is at these parties where a lot of gun violence is taking place, and other laws are being broken.
“They kind of hit the same spots. But, the officers go down, they walk through, there will be a large crowd — 50 to 80 cars,” said Assistant Chief Brad Dixon. “Each car has multiple occupants, and (the officers) just walk through: there’s open alcohol, drinking and driving, open-air drugs. Sometimes we see guns. We’ve had people in the caravans get shot.”
Echevarria says Peoria Police are going to crack down on roving drag racers, using “all investigative tools to take enforcement action” including license plate readers. Involved vehicles will be towed, impounded and hundreds of dollars in fines will be levied.
If you have any information regarding these pop-up parties, please contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521, tip411 (anonymously), or Crime Stoppers (anonymously) at 309-673-9000.
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