A swarm of 200 teenagers caused a California mall to shut down over the weekend after they mobbed the building, setting fire to a trash can and igniting illegal fireworks, police said.
The “large scale disturbance” incident occurred at the SouthBay Pavilion Mall, in Carson, at around 5:20 p.m on Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies quickly arrived at the scene, ordering the large group to disperse, with officers detaining 60 to 70 teens when they refused.
“Deputies detained multiple juveniles who were issued citations in relation to the incident and will be required to appear in court at a future date,” the sheriff’s department said.
Video from local stations showed dozens of teenagers lined up in the parking lot as officers kept them away from spectators and handcuffed the minors.
Officials spent about five hours clearing the scene and writing the citations for the detained minors, KTLA 5 reports.
Officials said there were no thefts or injuries as a result of the disturbance, but condemned the incident for its impact on local businesses and shoppers.
“Criminal activity of this nature is disruptive to our businesses and harmful to our community and will not be tolerated,” the sheriff’s office said.
The authorities added that the incident remains under investigation, with the sheriff’s office vowing to hold those who organized the gathering accountable.
