Mobile Police vows to crack down on street racing in light of weekend shooting

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — The Mobile Police Department will increase patrols along Paper Mill Road in response to a Sunday morning shooting that left six people injured at a street racing meet.

"So, I told the officer, I said, 'Look, y'all need to start patrolling a little more out here,'" Miskia Barnes, a nearby resident, said.

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MPD spokesman Blake Brown said the department didn't know of the street racing hotspot until it was too late when the intersection of Paper Mill Road and McKinley Street became a crime scene at 12:21 a.m. on Sunday.

District 2 Councilman William Carroll informed Interim Police Chief William Jackson of the street racing before Tuesday's city council meeting. Before that, MPD had never received any complaints of street racing in the area.

Brown said officers will begin "close patrols" to address potential resident complaints before they arise.

"Now that we do know that, we've got officers starting this week that are patrolling that area," Brown said.

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Hours before the shooting on Saturday night, Brown said MPD disrupted a car meet at the Springdale Mall.

"It was an impromptu car show," Brown said. "That's kind of what they were calling it out there."

Dozens of people left the mall and went to the quiet, industrial Paper Mill Road to continue their meet, according to Brown.

"I think they know there's not a lot of traffic coming through there. So they think it's a place where they're probably not going to get caught," Brown said. "Now that we know about it, we of course can keep a closer eye on it."

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Residents told that it was a younger crowd who lined up their cars to race on Paper Mill Road before the shooting happened. Police said three men, two women and a minor were found shot at that location. All were taken to local hospitals and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

When asked if there was any gambling involved in the street racing event, Brown said he didn't recall seeing that detail in the officers' notes.

While MPD continues its investigation, they're not getting many answers from victims.

"The victims so far have not given us a lot of information," Brown said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact MPD.