PALM BAY, Fla. — Palm Bay police say a large gathering was broken up Sunday in the area of the city known as The Compound.


What You Need To Know

  • Palm Bay police say they broke up a large gathering Sunday at The Compound, which they say included hundreds of dirt bikes and recreational vehicles

  • Officials say one person was hurt during the gathering and had to be airlifted to the hospital

  • Police say they will continue to work with city officials to come up with long-term strategies for the area, which has been plagued with illegal activity for decades

Police say there were hundreds of dirt bikes and recreational vehicles creating chaos in the area. They said one person was injured when a Jeep collided with a dirt bike and had to be airlifted to the hospital.

Remnants of the gathering could be found Monday — with skid marks, trash and even some barbecue grills left behind.

Trevor Williams just moved into a house on the outskirts of The Compound with his family a year ago, and he said they had no idea about the area’s reputation.

Williams says they learned very quickly that their quiet street would often become loud.

“The day we moved in, the movers said, ‘Do you guys know where you are?’” he said. “We didn’t know what it was until every weekend we would see the dirt bikes going down there.”

Williams was at work Sunday when his wife called and told him about all the noise she was hearing from the gathering.

Police say officers’ body-worn cameras captured footage of the group being dispersed.

No arrests were made, but they said the video will be used to hold anyone accountable that returns to the area and engages in illegal activities.

“I don’t want people to keep getting hurt out there,” said Williams.

Police say they will continue to work with city officials to come up with long-term strategies for dealing with The Compound.

Over the decades, the defunct residential development has been plagued with criminal activity, deadly off-road crashes, illegal trash dumping and even lost or abandoned dogs.

In April, city leaders discussed potential ideas for The Compound, which included an industrial or business park on the northeast quadrant of the property, a conservation area with walking trails and targeted investment in infrastructure in the northeast corridor.

Despite the newly presented ideas, city leaders have not set a concrete timeline for any actions to be taken.