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New York City authorities are warning a group of masked bikers that arrests could be imminent after video captured a chaotic confrontation in which several bikers surrounded and attacked a vehicle on a busy Staten Island street.
The crackdown follows an incident Wednesday on Richmond Avenue in the Bulls Head neighborhood of Staten Island, where video showed several masked bikers swarming a white SUV stopped at a traffic light.
In the video obtained by Fox News Digital, several individuals appeared to kick and hit the vehicle, while another appeared to throw an object at it. As the driver attempted to leave, the SUV appeared to run over a dirt bike that had been positioned in front of the vehicle.
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A group of masked motorcyclists surrounded a white SUV on Richmond Avenue in Staten Island, where several individuals appeared to kick and hit the vehicle. (Facebook/Staten Island, poor parking and driving)
At a news conference Thursday, NYPD Deputy Chief John Buttacavoli warned those involved that police were gathering intelligence and working to identify suspects.
“We know who you are and you’re going to be knocking on your door very soon,” Buttacavoli said, emphasizing that this behavior had evolved from a quality of life issue to criminal activity.
“It stops there. We are taking action,” he added.
Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon also condemned the riders, accusing them of intimidating motorists and putting innocent people in danger.
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“Like a plague of locusts, they descend on drivers who are just going about their business here on Staten Island,” McMahon said. “They are jackals, teenage terrorists, and that will not be tolerated here in our neighborhood.”
McMahon called the behavior “simply outrageous,” adding that no one was seriously injured, based on the information authorities had.
Wednesday’s incident was part of a larger pattern of dangerous behavior involving motorcycles, according to Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella.
Fossella described the bikers as a “bunch of punks who literally terrorize drivers” as motorists went about their daily lives.
“Enough. This match is over,” Fossella said.
The borough president also warned parents that their children were endangering innocent motorists.
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NYPD Deputy Chief John Buttacavoli warned that police were working to identify those involved in an incident in which masked bikers swarmed a vehicle on Staten Island. (Staten Island District Attorney’s Office)
“Your child is terrorizing innocent people while they are just going about their business. This is wrong and it needs to stop,” Fossella said.
McMahon warned that parents could face legal or financial consequences if their children use illegal motor vehicles to intimidate or harm others, including potential civil liability if someone is injured.
“Parents must also take responsibility for their children,” McMahon’s office said in a separate statement.
Police have formed a task force to address the problem and will continue to confiscate illegally used motorcycles, according to Buttacavoli. He said officers have already identified several individuals and seized numerous bikes this year.
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Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, District Attorney Michael McMahon and NYPD Deputy Chief John Buttacavoli addressed a confrontation involving masked dirt bike riders and an SUV during a news conference. (Staten Island District Attorney’s Office)
The NYPD also reminded residents that certain motor vehicles must be registered, insured and operated by licensed drivers.
State Rep. Mike Reilly, R-Staten Island, said he plans to introduce legislation in January that would hold parents financially responsible for minors caught recklessly operating certain motor vehicles, according to the New York Post.
The proposal would impose fines ranging from $250 to $1,500, the newspaper reported.
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The incident remains under investigation and no arrests have been announced.
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