Cellphone video captures group of people violently attacking crashed car

BRADDOCK, Pa. — Braddock police are investigating an incident that happened in broad daylight and brought police from miles around.

Cellphone video of a violent attack on a crashed car by a group of people in Braddock was first shared on social media -- but it is now in the hands of Braddock police. Police aren’t sure if the driver was still inside when the video was taken.

It happened on busy Braddock Avenue around 6 p.m. April 19.

Channel 11 has learned police are working to identify the men and women who took part. At one point in the video, you can see a man use an aluminum baseball bat to bash the side of a black sedan, which police sources say had been involved in an earlier incident with people in the white van.

Using large bricks and boulders, the crowd chanted as they smashed the car.

The police response was tremendous -- state police, county police and officers from a half dozen closest departments rushed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, many in the group had fled.

Police believe the violence that erupted on Braddock Avenue began at another location in Braddock earlier that day.

Both the driver of the black sedan and driver of the white van had argued and then took off, racing through the streets of Braddock, according to police. The drivers eventually crashed near intersection of 6th Street

When this video was shared on social media, it drew conflicting accounts of who and what started it and who was to blame, but police say one thing that cannot be denied is the extreme violence that boiled over on a public street.

None of the people involved in the incident earlier have been arrested, but we have been told this was a very serious matter and charges will be brought.

Crews battle fire at tire shop in Whitehall Crews battle fire at tire shop in Whitehall

© 2020 Cox Media Group