VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Two weeks after an impromptu car meetup at Kemps River Crossing ended in gunfire that injured at least seven people, several members of the Hampton Roads car community say the violence does not reflect local car culture.
Matthew Defreitas, a Virginia Beach car enthusiast, said he was upset by what happened March 22 and wanted to speak out to clarify the difference between organized car meets and so-called street takeovers.
“That is not organized. That is unorganized chaos,” Defreitas said.
Defreitas said the shooting offended many people in the local car community and does not represent what most enthusiasts support.
“Violence is never the answer, especially in the car community,” he said. “That is the result of a takeover. It’s not what I stand for, and a multitude of people around this area — they stand for the same thing.”
Defreitas said takeovers are typically spontaneous gatherings that involve large numbers of cars blocking streets, performing stunts such as donuts and clutch-kicking, and often happening late at night.
“Majority of the time when it comes to street takeovers, it’s random,” he said. “It usually happens at night.”
He contrasted those events with organized car meets, such as Cars and Coffee events in Greenbrier and another gathering he helped organize Saturday at Faithlight Fellowship Church.
Organized meets, he said, are meant to provide a safe space for enthusiasts to connect.
“It’s meant to be an escape from day-to-day activities, the hustle and bustle of work, and to socialize with other like-minded people that like cars just as much as I like cars,” Defreitas said.
Police in Virginia Beach said no arrests have been made in connection with the March 22 shooting so far.
Officials are reminding residents that a youth curfew remains in effect during spring break: 10 p.m. citywide for those younger than 18 and 7 p.m. at the Oceanfront on Fridays and Saturdays.
Anyone with information about the shooting can submit tips anonymously through the department’s online evidence portal.
