VIDEO: Gunfire, Fireworks Erupt As Sideshows Move To San Jose Neighborhoods
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Weekend nights are typically pretty quiet in Robert Wahoer's San Jose neighborhood -- that is until early Sunday morning.
Mobile bans of participants and spectators moved from Oakland streets where they have gathered for illegal sideshow street racing events for months, apparently deciding to change venues to the South Bay this weekend.
"Nothing until tonight," said Wahoer of the normally quiet weekend nights in his neighborhood at East Hamilton and Leigh in San Jose. "We are having a sideshow."
When asked how often sideshows have been staged in the neighborhood, Wahoer said: "Never!"
He said he was asleep at around 1:30 a.m. when the squeal of tires awoke him. There was also gunfire -- a growing trend at sideshows as participants discharge weapons into the air to show approval.
Wahoer said he was disappointed in the police response.
"I called (911) and what comes is like one (patrol) car," he said. "What's one car going to do."
San Jose police said when officers arrived there were approximately 25-30 vehicles and approximately 100 spectators at the East Hamilton and Leigh sideshow.
"No arrests were made, two were cited," Officer Steve Aponte said in an email. "No injuries were reported."
Videos also a sideshow at Lundy and Concourse during the late Saturday night/Sunday morning hours. San Jose police said sideshows also took place at Capitol Expressway and Aborn Rd and Branham Lane and Monterey Highway.
Participants at Lundy and Concourse launched fireworks as cars spun doughnuts in the intersection and cheers erupted from the dozens of spectators who had gathered to watch.
There was also a sideshow in Sunnyvale where responding officers appear to be making at least a handful of traffic stops.
