Seventeen individuals from across New England face charges following a months-long investigation into a disruptive “street takeover” event that occurred in Randolph on October 5, law enforcement officials announced Tuesday. The gathering, which attracted over 100 participants, took place at the intersection of North Maine and Oak streets and was part of a series of similar coordinated incidents reported that weekend in Randolph, Boston, and surrounding communities.

The events involved drivers performing dangerous stunts such as spinning donuts and drifting, while others blocked traffic and recorded the scenes for social media. When a Randolph police officer responded around 1:30 a.m., his cruiser was quickly surrounded by participants who struck the vehicle, blocked its path, and ignited fireworks atop and around it. Police released dashcam footage showing individuals wearing balaclavas striking the cruiser’s hood and making hand gestures, with fireworks exploding nearby and landing on the vehicle’s windshield.

Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag described the officer, a U.S. Army veteran recently returned from deployment, as being outnumbered and forced to remain inside the cruiser amid the aggressive crowd. Fireworks smoke filled the vehicle, impairing visibility and prompting the officer to move the cruiser to maintain control. “It gives you that sick feeling about what could have happened,” Marag said, emphasizing the potential for serious harm.

The Randolph incident coincided with multiple takeover events in Eastern Massachusetts, including one in Boston’s South End where police vehicles were attacked and a cruiser was set on fire. Authorities believe some participants traveled between communities that night, operating under coordinated plans shared via social media platforms. Marag noted that online groups provided instructions aimed at obstructing police intervention at the scenes.

Following the incident, investigators reviewed cruiser dashcam footage, surveillance videos from nearby businesses, and publicly available social media posts. They obtained search warrants targeting several Instagram accounts believed to be linked to organizers and participants.

The charged individuals, aged 19 to 31, hail from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, and New York; none are residents of Randolph. Authorities contend that the participants traveled to the town to stage the takeover, creating unsafe conditions for local residents and law enforcement alike.

Charges filed in Quincy District Court include conspiracy, interfering with a police officer, disorderly conduct, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and license plate violations. Nine arrest warrants have been issued, with the remaining defendants summonsed. Several are scheduled for arraignment Wednesday in Quincy.

Marag acknowledged that assembling the case necessitated extensive collaboration among regional law enforcement agencies and a thorough examination of digital evidence. “It took a long time to put the pieces together,” he said. “It’s a lot of data to go through.”