Street racing across US soars after 'defund police' movement slashes traffic patrols

Increased instances of illegal street racing have caused disturbances or even turned deadly across the U.S., as traffic patrols have been scaled back or officers are less likely to conduct investigative stops in the wake of the “defund the police” movement.

Meanwhile, two 22-year-old men were killed by street racers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Saturday afternoon.  A car towed by Portland police in November 2020. (Photo: Portland Police Bureau) (Portland Police Bureau) A car towed by Portland police in November 2020. (Photo: Portland Police Bureau) (Portland Police Bureau) Burbank, CA - August 04: Part of a vehicle is taken away by a tow truck in Burbank. Three people were killed and at least two others were injured in a fiery multi-vehicle collision at Glenoaks Boulevard and Andover Drive in Burbank.  The violent crash caused one vehicle to be cut in half and which police were investigating as a possible hit and run or street-racing incident. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) According to police, their vehicle was attempting to make a turn when a second and a third vehicle "racing at a high rate of speed" plowed into them at an intersection. A 37-year-old driver of one of the vehicles street-racing sustained injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, police said.