After more than 70 juveniles were detained and cited Saturday night in connection with a major disturbance at a mall in Carson, some parents and relatives of the kids are calling the law enforcement presence excessive.
Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the SouthBay Pavillion Mall around 5:30 p.m. on reports of a large and unruly gathering of an estimated 200 minors that prompted the mall to close earlier than usual.
Authorities said that some of the juveniles were setting off illegal fireworks inside a store at the mall and that someone else started a fire inside a trashcan.
Dispersal orders were issued, but the crowd reportedly refused to comply. Officials said that more law enforcement backup was called to the scene as the teens were disrupting business and endangering shoppers.
Sheriff’s deputies set up a perimeter and were, at one point, seen jumping into bushes to detain some of the teens, many of whom were seen scrambling to get out of the mall as law enforcement officers arrived.
Jamila Buie’s 16-year-old nephew was one of the 73 teens detained and told KTLA that she believes the law enforcement response was over the top.
“I feel like they should’ve only detained the ones that started the fire, not all the kids,” she explained to KTLA’s Carlos Saucedo. “It’s only 30 people. They said they had video of the kids that started the fire.”
Shoppers said they were rattled by the incident.
“I come to the mall often here,” San Pedro resident Michelle Brooks said. “I think it’s ridiculous. Parents need to get a hold of their children at all times.”
Deputies issued the minors citations for failure to disperse and disturbing the peace. Parents were forced to come and pick up their children, with some saying their kids should never have been detained.
“He’s 11-year-old, exactly,” Amber Lyn, whose son was detained, told KTLA. “No paperwork, never been in trouble. He gets straight As, and he’s an athlete.”
A similar incident occurred late last year at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, leading to curfews and the requirement that minors be accompanied by adults while in the shopping center.
At the mall in Carson, there were no reports of any injuries or thefts from any shops Saturday night.
The mall was back open for business on Sunday, albeit with a visible security presence.
“The safety and well-being of our residents and businesses are our top priority. We are taking immediate steps to ensure such incidents do not recur,” said Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes. “Our community’s strength lies in our ability to come together and address challenges head-on. I commend the Sheriff’s Department for their quick action and the community for their cooperation.”