Spontaneous “meetup” and “pop-up” gatherings in outdoor commercial areas and parking lots have dogged area police for the past several years.
Seven people were shot at a pop-up gathering at 100 Lindberg Ave. in Methuen early Sunday. An eighth person suffered a head injury after falling while trying to flee. Authorities said two of the people injured were listed in critical condition.
It’s not the first time a local car meetup has ended in violence. Earlier this spring, a person who went to a similar party on Glen Street in Lawrence was shot. Police learned about the shooting after the victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Fueled by social media posts and indicators, including Snapchat notifications, the meet-ups are attended by young people between roughly 16 and 20 years old. These people are too young to get into clubs, so they meet at outdoor locations to listen to music, dance, drink, vape and smoke marijuana, police said.
Methuen police Chief Scott McNamara said during a press conference Sunday morning that officers have been monitoring “hot spots” for these “spontaneous meetups.”
Those attending are coming from all over Essex County “and beyond,” District Attorney Paul Tucker said during the press conference.
Police sources said the meetups are primarily fueled through the Snapchat application, which allows messages and photos to be posted and later automatically deleted and locations to be “pinned” or illuminated on maps.
Those who attend often drive souped-up or lowrider vehicles with powerful stereo speakers installed. Others are driving dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles that are illegal to operate on streets and roads. These drivers often congregate in large groups, hoping it gives them anonymity despite the chaos these events often create, police said.
In September, local police and state troopers seized 19 bikes and issued more than 50 citations in a crackdown prompted by complaints about reckless and dangerous operation of motorcycles, dirt bikes and off-road vehicles on public ways.
Local police regularly collaborate with the Massachusetts State Police airwing to pinpoint the meetup gatherings and errant drivers, officers said.
Loud music from pop-up gatherings triggers noise complaints from the immediate area and also from surrounding communities, police said. McNamara said he wanted to stress in the wake of Sunday morning’s incident “that there is no ongoing threat to the larger community.”
“The threat is compartmentalized to the smaller population of people who continue to engage in this type of high-risk behavior,” the chief said.
Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.