A chaotic scene unfolded in New York City as a violent mob was captured on video allegedly assaulting a couple and torching a vehicle. This occurred after several local residents attempted to thwart a disruptive street takeover in their neighborhood over the weekend.
The incident erupted around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday when a group of drivers was observed racing across residential lawns and performing donuts at the intersection of South Drive and 141st Street in Malba, Queens, as reported by the New York Post.
Initially, a private security guard stepped in to try and calm the situation, but he was attacked by the mob, and his vehicle was set on fire, according to City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, the neighborhood’s representative.
Larry Rusch, the owner of a security company, reportedly heard the ruckus caused by the drivers executing stunts. When he went outside to investigate, he was confronted by approximately 40 cars in the street, according to The Post.
New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino shared footage showing a group of people observing as a car was engulfed in flames during the street takeover in Malba, Queens, on Sunday, November 23, 2025. (@VickieforNYC/X)
Rusch reportedly tried to mitigate the damage by parking a company car in the intersection to block the reckless drivers.
“As soon as I did that, everyone started leaving,” Rusch told The Post. “Then two individuals go up to the car. Somehow they threw some kind of firework or something and lit the car up. Then melee started again.”
Another local resident was also assaulted, according to the report.
A group of individuals are caught on camera allegedly attacking a resident during a neighborhood street takeover in Malba, Queens on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (@VickieforNYC/X)
“When I came out, I said, ‘Bro, you gotta get the f— off my property,’” victim Blake Ferrer told The Post. “And that’s when it all started.”
The incident quickly devolved into chaos, with video showing the group allegedly attacking Ferrer and his wife, reportedly leaving the Queens man with a broken nose and ribs. Additional footage shows a vehicle on fire as another car circles it.
Paladino took to social media to express her concern regarding the incident, adding that Ferrer was “lucky he wasn’t killed.”
Firefighters attempt to put out a blaze after a vehicle was set on fire during a neighborhood street takeover in Malba, Queens, on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. (@VickieforNYC/X)
Paladino also blasted local law enforcement’s response to the melee, revealing that residents who called 911 to report the incident were told that a “quality of life team and 311 should handle the situation.”
“Unacceptable. In fact, these violent street takeovers should be met with maximum force by the police department,” Paladino added.
However, the NYPD said in a statement to Fox News Digital that while the initial responding officer was rerouted to a more serious call, once authorities received word that the incident had been upgraded to a higher priority call, an officer was quickly dispatched to the scene.
“The [precinct] covers a large geographical area, and this was a busy Saturday night,” a spokesperson for the NYPD said in a statement. “At the time of the incident in question, other units from the [precinct] were handling multiple priority jobs, including an arrest for an individual who was driving while intoxicated, transporting someone to the hospital, an assault, and a vehicle collision with injuries.”
A third resident also reportedly had objects thrown into his car when he attempted to stop the drivers from continuing the chaos, according to The Post.
Additionally, Paladino blasted the lack of accountability within the city regarding similar instances of street takeovers, adding, “These incidents are happening citywide, and they’re happening because there are no longer any real consequences to this kind of criminality.”
The councilwoman then pointed to several armed residents “who exercised extreme restraint,” adding that the “level of restraint is not guaranteed. If the city refuses to do what’s necessary, the people might.”
