Police are searching for a large group of people who rioted at the entrance to a parking lot in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood over the weekend.
Witnesses said more than 100 people on bicycles, ranging from teenagers to early 20s, took over a parking lot near Bird and Minnesota Avenues on Saturday afternoon.
Witnesses claimed to have set off firecrackers and smoke bombs, among other things. San Jose resident John LaMantia said he is trying to pull onto the property.
“I was just scared that they were going to do something to me or someone else or my car,” he said.
LaMantia said he was blocked from entering because the group was doing donuts on bikes, and while some of the teens were just hanging out, others became violent. .
“People were coming out of Safeway, and one woman had a bottle thrown at her, so she grabbed a basket and ran to her car,” LaMantia said.
NBC Bay Area spoke with multiple other witnesses off camera, who declined to be identified due to safety concerns. The rioters also ran through a Safeway and a liquor store, stealing items.
One of the witnesses, a pregnant woman, said that when she tried to leave the scene, the group threw stones and other objects at her. One of them punched her in the face. Another cracked his windshield and dented his car.
San Jose police said multiple officers responded and the group was dispersed. Police confirmed that the group was yelling at people and throwing objects, and that several people were hit. Authorities are currently searching for those responsible.
“It’s not good for our community. It takes people out of business and it makes people really anxious,” LaMancia said.
