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‘Planned Attack’ in Malba: Councilwoman Says Street Takeover Left Couple Beaten and Car Torched

Councilwoman Vickie Paladino says a street takeover in Malba, Queens, left a couple injured and a car burned after drivers performed doughnuts and blocked intersections late Sunday. She called the event a “planned attack,” and said a private security guard who intervened was assaulted and his vehicle set on fire. Paladino criticized slower police response times and questioned Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s plan to keep the NYPD at 35,000 officers while creating a Department of Community Safety to handle mental health and homelessness.

11:47 PM, 11/25/2025Security
‘Planned Attack’ in Malba: Councilwoman Says Street Takeover Left Couple Beaten and Car Torched

New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino says a violent street takeover in the Malba section of Queens left a couple injured and a car set ablaze after a crowd of drivers performed doughnuts and blocked intersections late Sunday night.

“This was a planned attack. This is all preempted. They were prepared to do exactly what they did,” Paladino said, describing how participants blocked intersections, set a vehicle on fire and assaulted a resident who intervened.

The incident reportedly began around 12:30 a.m. Sunday at the corner of South Drive and 141st Street, when drivers were seen speeding across residential lawns and performing stunts. Paladino said a private security guard who tried to defuse the situation was attacked and had his vehicle torched.

Paladino criticized what she called a slow police response and referenced Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s position that the NYPD should remain at its current budgeted level of 35,000 officers. Mamdani has argued that officers must be allowed to focus on core policing duties while a proposed Department of Community Safety would take primary responsibility for mental health and homelessness response.

According to Mamdani, average NYPD response times have risen from under 11 minutes in 2020 to roughly 16 minutes today, in part because officers are now handling a large number of mental health calls. He has proposed creating a separate agency to reduce that burden so police can concentrate on serious crimes.

Paladino warned the mayor-elect may be “talking out of both sides of his mouth,” calling him a “wait-and-see mayor,” and she praised NYPD leadership for responding to the incident. Residents and elected officials are urging a review of tactics to prevent future street takeovers and improve public safety.

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