Chesapeake Car Enthusiast Hosts Meetup to Promote Positive Culture After Shooting

The event aims to highlight the community-focused side of car culture following a recent violent incident at a local gathering.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 10:05pm

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In the wake of a recent shooting at a car meetup in Kemps River Crossing, a Virginia Beach car enthusiast named Matthew Defreitas is hosting a 'Cars and Coffee' event in Chesapeake to bring together local car lovers and showcase the positive aspects of the community. While the turnout was smaller than usual, Defreitas' goal is to foster a safe and respectful environment that counters the violence and chaos seen at the previous gathering.

Why it matters

The Kemps River Crossing shooting highlighted tensions within the local car enthusiast community and the need to address the negative perceptions surrounding car culture. Defreitas' event aims to reclaim the narrative and demonstrate that the majority of car enthusiasts are focused on celebrating their shared passion in a responsible manner.

The details

Matthew Defreitas has hosted the 'Cars and Coffee' meetup in Chesapeake for the past four years. In the wake of the recent shooting at a car gathering in nearby Kemps River Crossing, which left seven people injured, Defreitas wanted to organize an event that would promote the positive aspects of car culture. While only a few cars showed up, including a '68 Camaro and a '23 Scat Pack, Defreitas' goal was to create a safe and respectful environment for enthusiasts to connect.

  • The latest 'Cars and Coffee' event took place on April 4, 2026.
  • The Kemps River Crossing shooting occurred two weeks prior to Defreitas' event.

The players

Matthew Defreitas

A Virginia Beach car enthusiast who has hosted the 'Cars and Coffee' meetup in Chesapeake for the past four years.

Kemps River Crossing

A shopping center in Virginia Beach where a recent shooting occurred at a car meetup, leaving seven people injured.

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What they’re saying

“I honestly wanted to develop a positive impact to the community, and have people come out.”

— Matthew Defreitas, Car Enthusiast

“We respect one another, and obviously that goes both ways too, but at the same time we're not going to stand for the violence and the chaos that happened two weeks ago.”

— Matthew Defreitas, Car Enthusiast

The takeaway

This event highlights the efforts of car enthusiasts to reclaim the narrative around their community and promote a culture of respect, safety, and shared passion in the face of negative incidents that can tarnish the reputation of the broader car culture.