A driverless Waymo taxi called San Mateo police on its own passengers Monday, July 6, after a remote operator spotted two 15-year-olds drinking alcohol and firing a toy gun out the windows at passing cars near El Camino Real and Highway 92.
The Waymo employee told the teens the vehicle had a mechanical problem and needed to pull over. At the same time, the employee called SMPD to report what appeared to be a firearm being discharged from a moving vehicle. Five officers and a police dog responded and conducted a high-risk traffic stop in a nearby parking lot.
Officers determined the weapon was a toy gun shooting Orbeez water beads. The teens had also been drinking.
"We received the call of a 'firearm' being shot from a moving vehicle," SMPD spokesperson Jeanine Luna told NPR on Thursday, July 10. Luna said the teens were not arrested and were released to their parents. Potential charges remain pending, dependent on what video from inside the vehicle shows.
The incident was the most notable call during a holiday stretch in which SMPD also fielded noise complaints, including a report of backyard karaoke on Portola Drive at 7:12 p.m. Saturday, July 4, according to the San Mateo Daily Journal's Monday, July 13 police blotter.
Fireworks enforcement backdrop
The July 4 weekend followed weeks of department messaging about fireworks. All fireworks are illegal within San Mateo city limits, carrying fines of $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for each additional offense within a year. CAL FIRE's San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit noted county violations can reach $1,000 or more.
SMPD hosted a "Real Talk San Mateo" Zoom session on Monday, June 30 featuring Council Member Nicole Fernandez and Deputy Fire Marshal Melinda Martin to discuss enforcement plans. The department's Drone as a First Responder program, which logged nearly 1,000 flights in 2025, has been used for fireworks enforcement in prior holiday periods, according to an SMPD press release.
Residents can report non-emergency concerns at (650) 522-7700.
