MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A “pop up” party took place in the medical district on Saturday night where several people drove recklessly through the streets.

Dozens of people, estimated around 60 to 80, crowded the streets as cars did donuts and burnouts on Union Avenue and Pauline Street.

A witness, Leroy Foster, says he saw it firsthand. “I had to make a U-turn. “I couldn’t get past here. They were all the way from here, past Burger King doing donuts.” Foster said. “I saw the police call with the lights on but they were still doing donuts.”

Foster says you can look anywhere in the city of the downtown Memphis area and see where people have been doing donuts because it’s a frequent thing.

“Then I got trapped on Third and Crump,” he said. “At the service station. About 100 of them come in there.”

Incidents like this are exactly what Memphis Police were working to curb in downtown this weekend for the first weekend of what the department calls a “New Pedestrian Friendly Traffic Control Plan.” 

Just a mile and a half away barriers blocked off roads and added officers filled downtown following a recent mass shooting that left 8 people injured. 

Memphis Police Department says it will enforce a “zero tolerance” policy for drag racing, reckless driving, and gunfire, with the goal of eliminating “pop-up” parties.

“Oh, it’s dangerous! It’s dangerous,” Foster said. “Because some of them is hanging out the car and some of them got phones, you know videoing it.”

Memphis Police acknowledged that they responded to the incident, but the cars took off and no one was arrested.

MPD released the following statement in regard to preventing pop-up parties:

The Memphis Police Department will continue to monitor the downtown area and make adjustments as needed. We are committed to maintaining the safety and security of the citizens of Memphis and visitors alike.