Viral video of street takeover on Northwest Side triggers safety concerns

SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio may be forced to consider an ordinance to go after illegal street racing and street takeovers after a viral video posted Sunday of a takeover on I-10 and Callahan triggered safety concerns.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus says his department’s efforts to pump the brakes on the problem have been working.

“We seized a number of vehicles, seized a number of guns, and since that time, we’ve seen them slow down there,” McManus said, referring to arrests from about a year ago.

He said while there are complaints of illegal street racing and street takeovers, they’re difficult to stop unless police get a heads-up.

“Unless we know they’re getting ready to happen, we can’t stop them in the beginning,” McManus said.

Efforts to enact a city ordinance that would punish spectators at those events failed for lack of support, according to District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda, chair of the city’s Public Safety Committee.

“There wasn’t a lot of community support for it. I don’t ever want to do anything the community doesn’t want, so we’re still talking about it,” she said.

Cabello Havrda urges community members to call police as soon as they see the illegal activity or get wind of it happening.

She said she wants community members with ideas on how to stop this illegal activity to call or email her office or attend the monthly Public Safety Committee meetings.

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