Violence Erupts in Queens Drag Racing Meetup, Leaving Couple Assaulted and Car Ablaze
A chaotic drag racing meetup in a quiet Queens neighborhood turned violent when a couple was attacked on their lawn and an empty car was set ablaze. The incident unfolded near 141st Street and 11th Avenue in Malba, where dozens of drivers descended upon the block around midnight Saturday.
Witnesses described the scene as "chaotic" with participants igniting fireworks and breaking glass bottles. Authorities said some occupants eventually set a Ford Fusion sedan on fire in the middle of the street, triggering an FDNY response to put out the flames.
The couple, Melissa and Blake Ferrer, 50, said they were attacked when they stepped outside their home to confront the raucous crowd on their lawn. Social media videos posted by local Councilmember Vickie Paladino show the couple being repeatedly kicked and punched until Blake fell to the ground. Two assailants were seen swinging large black flags, while Blake used a baseball bat to defend himself.
Police responded slowly to multiple 911 calls, with residents claiming it took them "too long" to arrive at the scene. A patrol supervisor for the precinct arrived around 12:50 a.m., about 10 minutes after the call was upgraded to a higher-priority job.
Despite police increasing patrols in the area to prevent similar incidents, no arrests have been announced. The NYPD said they are still investigating the incident and that Blake Ferrer sustained several broken ribs and injuries to his shoulder, nose, cheek, and throat.
The couple expressed frustration with the city's response, saying it was unacceptable that residents were initially told the NYPD's quality-of-life team would handle the situation. "These violent street takeovers should be met with maximum force by the police department," Councilmember Paladino said.
Drag racing has long been a quality-of-life issue across the city, but this incident marked an exception to the usual pattern of short-lived gatherings in the area.
A chaotic drag racing meetup in a quiet Queens neighborhood turned violent when a couple was attacked on their lawn and an empty car was set ablaze. The incident unfolded near 141st Street and 11th Avenue in Malba, where dozens of drivers descended upon the block around midnight Saturday.
Witnesses described the scene as "chaotic" with participants igniting fireworks and breaking glass bottles. Authorities said some occupants eventually set a Ford Fusion sedan on fire in the middle of the street, triggering an FDNY response to put out the flames.
The couple, Melissa and Blake Ferrer, 50, said they were attacked when they stepped outside their home to confront the raucous crowd on their lawn. Social media videos posted by local Councilmember Vickie Paladino show the couple being repeatedly kicked and punched until Blake fell to the ground. Two assailants were seen swinging large black flags, while Blake used a baseball bat to defend himself.
Police responded slowly to multiple 911 calls, with residents claiming it took them "too long" to arrive at the scene. A patrol supervisor for the precinct arrived around 12:50 a.m., about 10 minutes after the call was upgraded to a higher-priority job.
Despite police increasing patrols in the area to prevent similar incidents, no arrests have been announced. The NYPD said they are still investigating the incident and that Blake Ferrer sustained several broken ribs and injuries to his shoulder, nose, cheek, and throat.
The couple expressed frustration with the city's response, saying it was unacceptable that residents were initially told the NYPD's quality-of-life team would handle the situation. "These violent street takeovers should be met with maximum force by the police department," Councilmember Paladino said.
Drag racing has long been a quality-of-life issue across the city, but this incident marked an exception to the usual pattern of short-lived gatherings in the area.
I just saw that crazy drag racing meetup went down in Queens and it's like whoa the violence was REAL!!! I mean I know drag racing can be a thing but I never thought it could turn violent like this 
. The couple got assaulted on their lawn and someone even set their car on fire?!?! That's just not right fam 
. And to make matters worse, police took forever to arrive at the scene 
. Like I get that they gotta prioritize but come on! 
. Anyway, Councilmember Paladino is speaking out and saying it's unacceptable that residents were told the NYPD would handle it when they should've taken a more aggressive stance 
. And can we talk about how drag racing has gone from being a casual thing to a real safety concern 
? I'm just hoping Blake and Melissa are okay after that 
.
. Like, what's next? Oh wait, I forgot, we already have that problem in other parts of the city... anyway, can't believe the NYPD took so long to show up 
. And poor Melissa and Blake Ferrer, hope they get the help they need ASAP 
... like that's gonna stop people who are clearly looking for trouble 
.
newsflash: it's not cool to be reckless and violent, especially when there are innocent ppl around. the cops took forever to show up too, that's super frustrating 
i mean, what's next? ppl gonna start rioting in our neighborhoods?! 
anyway, hope those two get better soon and maybe this incident will make people think twice before hosting these kinds of events again 
Ugh, I'm so done with these drag racing meetups turning into all-out brawls 
Anyway, I'm super worried about that couple, Melissa and Blake Ferrer 
. And what's up with the NYPD responding so slowly to 911 calls? 
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. Drag racing can get out of hand and put people at risk.
just awful.
. This is exactly what those quality-of-life patrols are for! 
I mean I get it, drag racing can be loud and rowdy but attacking a couple on their own lawn? That's just not cool 
. And the police taking so long to show up? Unbelievable 
. The fact that people are still doing this and getting away with it is just not right 
. We need to see some serious consequences from the city for these reckless drivers and their families 
and a burning car 
. i'm just glad no one was seriously hurt... yet 
. And those black flags, yeah... that's not just for show 
. I'm sure it's connected to something deeper. It's all about control and who's really behind this drag racing craze 
. Mark my words, there's more to this story than meets the eye 
.