'It's not worth it': Local family warns of street racing

An investigation continues after an incident this weekend in Tacoma involving a police officer who ran over two people attending an alleged street race. A team will decide whether that officer was at fault in that incident or acting in self-defense. 

Meanwhile, local leaders are trying to figure out how to combat what some are calling an epidemic of street racing. 

Some cities like Renton have had historical issues with it, others like Sumner and Puyallup are experiencing it more recently. But across the board, law enforcement and many citizens say it’s an illegal activity that puts people at a serious safety risk.

"It’s been going on for decades, I’ve been here for over 30 years and it was ongoing when I got here," says Commander David Leibman of Renton Police.

RELATED: Tacoma leaders search for answers after street racing leads to police incident

The city of Renton has a reputation for street racing, though they’re certainly not alone. 

These days it’s pretty much everywhere. "It’s always been a big problem and regionally we've tried many different ways to inhibit it and control it."

Commander Leibman says one tactic they’ve tried in Renton is just flat out closing down areas they know are popular for races, especially during warm weather. 

He says sometimes, in addition to the danger of reckless driving, the crowds can get rowdy.

"This summer we had a homicides that’s related to street racing."

The victim in that case was 25-year-old D’Andre Flynn.

"I haven’t been coping; it’s very hard to lose a child," says Flynn’s mother, Kay Swenson.

D’Andre was shot to death in august at a Renton car meet after a fight escalated. His mother says when she was his age she too attended local races, but she says now, they’re very different.

"It’s not worth going out there and getting hurt and it’s not worth putting your parents through the sorrow that we're going through right now."

She knows shootings at races may not be common, but says people still need to understand how a somewhat peaceful situation can change in an instant.  

"Where were they that night my son was taken? The police department needs to crack down a lot more."

Flynn’s mother wonders what could have been if law enforcement was there that night. She hopes police do everything they can to stop the races before another tragedy occurs.