A gang reportedly rammed the home of the mother of one of five youths who died in a crash on the A66 shortly before the collision that resulted in seven fatalities. The incident occurred early Saturday morning, with the woman's Audi being pushed into her house. Her son, Theo Rae, 17, was one of the occupants of a Volkswagen Passat that traveled the wrong way on a dual carriageway, colliding head-on with a marked police vehicle, killing all five occupants as well as PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38.
Rae had allegedly been searching for the rival gang responsible for the attack on his mother's home prior to the crash. He was in the car with Cole Worthy, 17, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18, as they sought retaliation. The police initiated a chase that lasted seven minutes before the Passat entered the A66 in the wrong direction.
In the early hours of Saturday, three properties associated with the rival gang were attacked by another gang in a Volvo XC60. Sources indicated that the attack on Rae's mother's house and an alleged attack on his grandmother's property were particularly provocative for Rae and his friends.
Both PC Blades and PC Clough were killed when their police vehicle was struck by the Passat shortly after the police pursuit was called off. Inquests into their deaths were opened and adjourned at Teesside Coroner's Court, with provisional causes of death listed as head and neck injuries for PC Blades and neck injuries for PC Clough.
An MP condemned the violence in Middlesbrough following the crash, noting that residents feel 'trapped in their homes' after a week that saw nine deaths and 19 arrests. Over 200 additional officers have been deployed to assist Cleveland Police in response to the gang violence.
Police have arrested 17 individuals aged between 18 and 61 on various charges, including involvement in an organized crime group. Additionally, two men, aged 31 and 23, were arrested on suspicion of murder related to a house fire that killed seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, in Grangetown, near the A66 crash site.
Another house in South Bank was rammed by a car shortly after the A66 crash, although it was unoccupied. Authorities are investigating potential links between these incidents and organized crime but have not confirmed any connections yet. Several other ram attacks have occurred in Middlesbrough, including one targeting the father of a young man who died in the A66 crash.
Makai Saddington, one of the deceased, had posted videos on TikTok of police chases and was awaiting trial for racially abusing and assaulting officers. In a separate incident, armed police responded to a reported fight involving a weapon in Thornaby, resulting in multiple arrests. Local residents expressed concerns for their safety, with MP Andy McDonald stating that people feel unsafe in their communities and calling for a strong response to the violence.