Sophie Bolich

‘Somebody’s Going to End Up Dead!’ Mayor Decries Street Takeovers

Mayor Johnson, DA Lovern warn of penalties for both organizers and spectators.

By - Sep 5th, 2025 04:15 pm
Mayor Cavalier Johnson at a Sept. 5 press conference addressing street takeovers. Photo by Sophie Bolich

Mayor Cavalier Johnson at a Sept. 5 press conference addressing street takeovers. Photo by Sophie Bolich

Large crowds, revving engines, fireworks and vehicles doing doughnuts—a series of street takeovers swept through Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend, increasing pressure on city leaders to address the noisy and often dangerous displays that spike annually during the summer months.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson addressed the issue Friday morning, outlining plans to penalize both organizers and spectators while urging residents to take action.

“They’re outrageous,” Johnson said of the takeovers. “Somebody’s going to end up hurt, somebody’s going to end up dead because of these activities.”

District Attorney Kent Lovern, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke joined Johnson at the press conference, which emphasized collaboration among city departments.

Earlier this year, Johnson called for an ordinance change that would raise fines for participants and onlookers to $500—a tactic he said mayors across the country are using to discourage takeovers in their own cities.

The Milwaukee Common Council‘s Public Safety and Health Committee took up the proposal in May, but it was held to the call of the chair.

Alderman Scott Spiker, chair of the Public Safety and Health Committee, expressed skepticism that the increased fine would be enough to drive change.

“What’s important to understand is that addressing the spectators in the audience isn’t going to address the problem … we can sit here and we can say, ‘Look, we passed this thing and raised [it] to $500’—that alone will do nothing.”

Instead, Spiker suggested “making an example” of a takeover participant by pressing criminal charges and towing their vehicle. “If there’s going to be real consequences, then maybe behavior changes.”

Lovern said he has directed Assistant District Attorney Dax Odom to work closely with law enforcement to do just that. “Where the evidence supports it, we will not hesitate to issue criminal charges and zealously prosecute those individuals,” he said.

The city is also considering alterations to roadways and intersections that would hinder takeover activity.

While not a new phenomenon, street takeovers have increased with the rise of social media, which makes it easier to coordinate meet-up spots. The events often involve blocking intersections with cars, assembling large crowds and sometimes lighting off fireworks or starting fires to perform for onlookers—and increasingly, for viral videos.

“The problem is fueled by social media,” Spiker said. “You can become a rock star on social media because you do some idiotic act, put yourself and others in danger, and then you post it.”

Chief Norman said the Milwaukee Police Department remains committed to the issue, despite staffing challenges. “We have resources, we’re utilizing partnership, the sheriff office has been very instrumental—but we know that we need you, the public, to help us be able to combat this particular type of activity.”

Since takeovers are often “pop-ups” rather than pre-planned events, Norman said 911 calls are essential for quickly identifying and addressing them. Tips and information can also be emailed to ifc@milwaukee.gov.

“All we can do is be ready,” he added. “Help us help you.”

When asked about the possibility of requesting aid from the U.S. National Guard, Johnson said it was not under consideration. “That’s not their assignment,” he said.

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Categories: Public Safety

Comments

  1. Mingus says:

    The fines need to be increased and the Legislature should pass a law making this a felony with a confiscation of the vehicle as part of the felony conviction.

  2. DAGDAG says:

    Milwaukee’s major needs to admit that its a cultural thing. Another lost generation

  3. steenwyr says:

    More dangerous no doubt, but isn’t this the 2020s version of “cruising down Hwy 100 or Capitol”?

  4. DAGDAG says:

    Comparing it to cruising is like saying that the takeovers are just people making a of right turns at an intersection.

  5. mpbehar says:

    Towing the cars involved would be a great deterant.

  6. kenyatta2009 says:

    Stupidity in the streets

  7. jsalmon1159 says:

    Cavalier Johnson says more affordable housing is the answer to counter this behavior. This mayor is so weak and just can’t take a hard stand on anything. For the offenders, they should be arrested, with their driving PRIVILEGE taken away and the car sold outright. That would end this problem.

  8. mpbehar says:

    JSALMON1159: Restricting driving by taking away license usually hasn’t deterred bad driving; they’re just driving without a license! Filling jails with such drivers means more need for sheriff deputies and staff at local jails, which cost taxpayers time and a half as vacant positions are not filled. impounding the actual vehicle with stiff fine to retrieve, may work? Not sure if affordable housing has anything to do with this, but having lots of organized activities for youth to keep them occupied, might be more effective.

    Kenyatta2009: Stupidity in the streets is fun for the perpetrators and onlookers. That’s why they’re recorded and posted on social media! Stupid for us folks to think that it’s anything other than juvenile pranks that we used to do when we were teenagers and 20-somethings… we just didn’t have the technology to share with others!

    The reality is that it may be dangerous to participants and onlookers, noisy, and it wrecks tires and deposits fine particulates of rubber, asphalt and other chemicals into the air which can affect those with asthma, and it may degrade the street, at more expense to taxpayers…

  9. DAGDAG says:

    Many years back…Police seized a car…I think it was a Corvette. of an elected official soliciting prostitutes. Now
    “those were the days. my friend” when law enforcement had some orbs

  10. steenwyr says:

    My reference to cruising was for the comparison to the enforcement. That was taken seriously at many levels, with tickets and towing, and now “it’s not a thing” (or at least we don’t hear about it anymore)

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