WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. and Virginia police are looking into dozens of people who were dangerously weaving through traffic on all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes this weekend.
Police say as many as 200 people drove through D.C. and Arlington before ending up in Alexandria.
Alexandria Police Department (APD) are now investigating whether some of these riders were involved in a shooting.
The situation happened Saturday night. Police say after riding through the streets of D.C., they went through Georgetown and crossed the Key Bridge into Arlington and then Alexandria.
In D.C. and Virginia, riding ATVs on public streets is illegal.
“I watched them run through traffic going the other lane, I saw a couple cars mixed in,” Nathan K., said.
Nathan posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, around 6:30 p.m. He said he’s used to seeing ATVs on the street but not this many.
“I’ve been down on the street in the past when they’ve come through and almost been run over in an intersection,” Nathan said. “There’s a real frustration, this is not legal. Why does this continue to happen?”
D.C. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah said last year, the Metropolitan Police Department started an ATV investigations unit that confiscated more than 200 ATVs.
“We are committed to continuing those types of investigations and we simply won’t allow lawlessness, whether on ATVs or otherwise, in our city,” Appiah said.
D.C. has a no-chase policy.
“I get the difficulties with pursuit and things that can come from that but doing absolutely nothing and kind of letting this problem escalate also does not seem to be the response,” Nathan said.
Arlington County Police Department said 50 to 200 ATVs, dirt bikes motorcycles and cars entered the county around 7:30 p.m. Officers responded and monitored the group but no arrests were made and no citations were issued.
Then at 8:05 p.m., APD responded to a shooting on South Patrick Street.
Officers learned dozens of people riding dirt bikes, ATVs, motorcycles and other recreational vehicles were gathered at two neighboring gas stations when people began shooting. Detectives said a victim was taken to a hospital. Though it’s unclear how some of those on the ATVs are involved.
Anyone with information about the shooting or know any of the people riding the ATVs and dirty bikes are encouraged to call local police.