TACOMA, Wash. — A group of teens and young adults took to the streets of Tacoma in a stolen Kia, crashed the car into a pond, then stole another vehicle and threatened to shoot a Tacoma Public Schools patrol officer on Friday morning, according to the Tacoma Police Department (TPD).
On Friday, multiple people reported incidents involving possible members of the "Kia Boyz" to 911. The group of suspects were seen driving around neighborhood streets of Tacoma in an "erratic manner," according to TPD.
The group was driving in a stolen Kia, police say, then crashed into a pond at Wright Park in Tacoma's Stadium District. The crash left little to no damage at the park, said a Metro Parks Tacoma spokesperson.
After, the group stole a Hyundai vehicle and then brandished a gun at a Tacoma Public Schools patrol officer, threatening to shoot them, police said.
Tacoma police officers responded to the area and began to chase the Hyundai, however, the pursuit was ended when "the risk to the public outweighed the possible result of continuing the pursuit," police said.
There were two modified school lockdowns on Friday at Hilltop Heritage Middle School in response to erratic driving in the school parking lot and due to an official report of a weapon in the vehicle, said Kathryn McCarthy of Tacoma Public Schools.
Tacoma Public Schools works in partnership with Tacoma Police Department, McCarthy said.
"We are working with our schools and partners to do all we can to mitigate disruption to instructional time," she said.
When a situation warrants school staff to call police, officers respond and investigate crimes, McCarthy said, adding that the incidents of erratic driving are not isolated to Hilltop Heritage and are happening throughout the county.
The name "Kia Boyz" comes from a social media challenge showing how to steal Kia and Hyundai car models.
Anyone with information regarding the incident or other related incidents involving the "Kia Boyz" is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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