If there’s one community I know that can identify a car using only a blurry set of pixels from security camera footage, it’s the people who read The Autopian. This set of readers has done it before (on multiple occasions).
Once again, the police need our help. The Tewksbury Police Department in Massachusetts is seeking the public’s assistance in trying to identify the driver of a dark SUV that allegedly intentionally ran over a flock of seagulls in a parking lot, killing six.
All the police have to go on is a 20-second slice of security footage of the car driving through the lot, and it’s shot from pretty far away. Do you know what kind of car this is?
Here’s What We Know
The incident happened around noon Eastern time on Thursday, December 11. Police were called at 12:06 p.m. to 1777 Main Street in Tewksbury, which, according to Google Maps, is a strip mall with stores like an Advance Auto Parts, a Dollar Tree, a beauty salon, a cafe, and a hardware store.
Footage shot from the strip mall and published by police (above) shows the SUV driving through the flock of seagulls before crossing the rest of the lot and exiting the frame. It’s only towards the last few seconds do we get a clear view of the car.
When I spoke to a department representative over the phone, they told me they hadn’t yet identified the make or model. Their initial investigation determined that the car “accelerated before driving through the flock.”
I Have My Guesses
From the jump, it feels like we’re looking at a semi-modern SUV or crossover. Going by the general proportions, maybe a mid-sizer. The big headlights and badge suggest it might be something American, like a Chevrolet Traverse or a Ford Explorer, though there are a few Hondas that cross my mind, like the Passport or Pilot, too.
As far as security footage goes, this is par for the course. But we do get a great look at the car’s profile, greenhouse shape, wheels, grille, and more. I’m actually pretty disappointed in myself that I can’t pick this car out immediately.
This incident was brought to my attention via a reader who spends a lot of time in the parking lot where this incident allegedly happened, so I’m extra-motivated to get to the bottom of this. Here’s what they said in their email:
Nearly every morning I sit in that very parking lot with my coffee, reading The Autopian. Sometimes I even buy unsalted snacks for the flock of seagulls that gather there. This morning, I noticed something unusual—the birds were perched on top of a nearby restaurant instead of their usual spot on the pavement. I snapped a photo. Ten minutes later, I read that someone had driven through them, killing six.
As both an animal lover and a car enthusiast, I feel compelled to help. I believe this is one of those moments where Autopian justice should prevail. The community here is incredible at analyzing details, and I’m hoping you can lend your eyes and expertise to help identify the driver responsible.
I’m confident this community will have no trouble figuring out what kind of vehicle did this. There’s no place on the internet more knowledgeable when it comes to cars than this website’s comment section, after all. So have at it.
Top graphic image: Tewksbury Police Department
2019-2021 Honda Passport. Not pilot length, no brightwork and grey rims. You can make out the unique headlight shape, and the chunky combination turn signal & fog light units low at the corner of the bumper. This is not an explorer.
My first thought was explorer but it could possibly be an edge. I could see passport or pilot too.
Before I read the article I said “That’s 2019 body style Ford Explorer.”
https://tewksburypolice.com/anonymous-tips/
Idk why it’s not in the article but here ya go
You’re not allowed to do that to sky rats?
Looks like a 19-21 Honda Passport to me.
Or Pilot, I can’t tell how long it is and that was the only real difference for those years
Pilot was my first guess, but I looked them up and they all seem to have chrome grilles. Passports have black grilles… and lots of body cladding that probably would have been easy to recognize if it was in any color besides black lol
Do we know the calls aren’t coming from inside the house? The looks an awful lot like a police Explorer.
The department issued an update that they are no longer seeking assistance with this matter.
I was going to ask if they had looked at the parking lot outside HQ. It looks 99.9% like an Explorer Interceptor.
Sure looks like an Explorer.That big round emblem on the front end kind of gives it away.
This was my first thought as well specifically a 5th gen 2011–2019 Explorer. The grille badge screams Ford to me.
Agree, and likely post-facelift with the sport package due to wheels and lack of chrome. The fog light is larger after the facelift. (Edited to state later model years.)
They had chrome and black options both pre and post facelift. The headlights are definitely post-facelift, as are the giant corner-mount fog lights you pointed out. I say this is a 2016-19 Explorer sport.