A lakeside park in Rochester, New York, normally a place of relaxation for residents and families, was the site of a takeover by some 400 rowdy teenagers earlier this week, resulting in numerous fights that sent horrified parents and young children fleeing.
Reports and video of the meetup and violence, as well as the police arriving to crack down, went viral on social media.
More than 400 teenagers laid siege to Ontario Beach Park, prompting security increases ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, the New York Post reported.
According to the Post:
The brawlers milled around the parking lot and appeared to throw punches at random as several full-on fights broke out. Crowds gathered around each fistfight all while bystanders carefully steered their cars through the parking to reach an exit that wasn’t blocked by the hooligans.
Several teens were thrown onto the concrete and jumped on. Others were slammed against parked vehicles as the aggressors continued to wail on them, according to video footage obtained by WHEC.
The melee resulted in no arrests, according to the Rochester Police Department.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said at a Tuesday press conference that the city was “not going to tolerate” such violence and such takeovers which are typically organized on social media.
Rochester police said they will partner with the local county sheriff’s office and the New York State Police to monitor the park over the Memorial Day weekend.
“We’re gonna be out here, there’s gonna be a lot of police out here, a lot of law enforcement, and if you see anything that you’re concerned about it, please let us know, because we can’t see everything,” Rochester Police Captain Nate Cornell said.
Cities across the U.S. have been plagued with so called “meetups,” which also often feature dangerous stunts by speeding cars and have resulted in looting and property damage in some cities.
In Washington, DC, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro may be setting a new standard in cracking down on such activity after violence in a Chipotle at the district’s Navy Yard commercial district.
She plans to level charges not only against hooligans, but the members of their household tasked with their supervision under federal statutes on contributing to the delinquency of minors.
Conviction carries up to six months in prison.
“We’re coming for you and we’re coming for your parents,” she said.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.