
Halloween in Gerritsen Beach is always bad, but in years past the police at least attempted to show up even if it was a lacking response. This year the teens ran unchecked by police and terrorized a neighborhood all day and night.
50+ teens held their ground at Gerritsen and Florence Avenues and Seba Avenue Park for a better part of Halloween. They formed a firing line on both sides of Gerritsen Avenue. They were throwing eggs, shaving cream cans, potatoes, rocks, at anything that drove past and anyone who dared to confront them. They even started throwing eggs at people, parents with young children and strollers. One parent said “I saw them jump a delivery car with kids banging on it, eggs getting slammed into it and some ran on the car”

Everyone was calling 911. There was not one person on Gerritsen Avenue who was not on the phone with 911, or the 61 and 63 Precincts desks. No police responded.
An older man in his late 60’s was driving along Gerritsen Avenue when his car was hit by eggs, when he exited the vehicle he was pelted by dozens of eggs, rocks were thrown, chucks of brick, and someone tossed a hammer. Parents and community members stepped in to protect this man and started to chase the kids to away.
As the Vollies were investigating a possible weed fire. Fire Chief John Czapp’s jeep was pelted and he was hit in the face with an egg. No police responded.
NO POLICE SHOWED UP TO RESPOND. Let’s let that sink in. After possibly dozens or more 911 calls over a two to three hour period NO ONE SHOWED UP.
If you thought the kids behavior was disgusting, the police behavior was incomprehensible. Everyone felt helpless as the neighborhood was terrorized by the teens
After a few hours the 61st Precinct did sent one marked car which was pelted. But as soon as it pulled up the kids ran back weeds and the patrol car left. The kids cheered in victory. The officers did not exit their vehicle nor speak with anyone. They simply left.
The 63 did send two community affairs officers who were also pelted in their unmarked car. They did exit their vehicle and pursued the teens by walking on foot to see if they can catch some of the kids. The kids being locals – immediately ran to the woodchips and exited at channel.
- They put out of commission three buses. Shutting down the B31 line. The bus operator and bus supervisor called 911 – No response.
- They pelted a deliveryman on a moped assaulting him – No police response.
- In a classic hate crime approach the teens also chased two hasidic jewish men throwing rocks at them
- They covered cars on Gerritsen Avenue with shaving cream.
GerritsenBeach.net has been covering Halloween for years now. This was by far the worst Halloween. It was not even this bad when the previous 61 Commanding Officer Captain Stella neglected the neighborhood. At least he sent marked patrol cars and supervisors down at the last minute. However Deputy Inspector Mastrokostas seems to have abandoned Gerritsen Beach letting criminals terrorize the neighborhood, leaving residents to resort to vigilante justice. Shame on them.
Editorial note:
We’ve decided to keep the orginal post “as is”. No pictures, screenshots or names will be taken down. The pictures in question were in taken in plain sight on the street, where there is no expectation of privacy no matter what the age.
Screenshots were available publicly therefore submitted to the public domain.
Comments or pictures containing names cannot be verified. Their level of involvement has not been determined or proven. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. There has been no comment by local authorities.
Continue reading No Police Response Despite Massive Damage by Local Teens