The Long Beach Police Department released a statement following Friday’s disturbance and violence at The Pike Outlets.
Chief Wally Hebeish says officers were aware of the large meetup well ahead of time and adequately prepared for any issues.
“We had hundreds of juveniles come to The Pike as part of a viral social media meet-up,” Hebeish said in a post on the Long Beach P.D.’s Instagram page. “Our officers were prepared and extremely visible throughout the downtown area.”
Hebeish adds that authorities declared a stage two tactical alert, which allowed the police department to ensure it was adequately staffed for the meet-up by adjusting the work schedule for officers on Saturday.
The pandemonium began Saturday afternoon at The Pike Outlets. Video obtained by stringer service OC Hawk shows two females in a fistfight. There was a large group of teens surrounding the two females as the fight continued, with many seen recording the confrontation on their phones.
“At one point, a fight broke out,” Hebeish said. “And officers immediately intervened by running into a large crowd, taking control of the situation, and arresting both suspects involved.
The two suspects in the fight are described only as an adult woman and a juvenile female. After the commotion had calmed down, the owners of The Pike Outlets and retailers in the shopping center, elected to close early to avoid any further incidents.
The shopping center was closed at around 6 p.m. Saturday and guests were told to clear out. Officers made an announcement that anyone who didn’t comply would be arrested. Hebeish was happy with how officers handled the situation.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts of our officers [Saturday],” Hebeish added. “I want to reiterate that the Long Beach Police Department will not tolerate criminal acts or violence in our community.”
Just moments after the fight broke out between the two females, a juvenile male was shot in the vicinity of The Pike Outlets. Officers found the boy nearby at The Promenade suffering from a gunshot wound to his lower body. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
Residents of Long Beach have spoken out after a wave of violence has hit the community recently, where multiple shootings have occurred over the past few weeks.
A man was fatally stabbed at a Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurant in the Long Beach neighborhood of Belmont Shore earlier this month.