Chaos erupted at an outlet mall in Long Beach, California, on Saturday when a fistfight between two females — one adult and one a minor — went viral, attracting nearly 200 teenagers to witness the violent brawl.
According to KTLA -TV in Los Angeles, the two fighters were arrested, but the mob of onlookers posed a danger.
The Pike Outlets decided to close the mall early at 6 p.m. and police announced that anyone who was not out within 10 minutes would be arrested for trespassing.
Police also brought in a detention bus to arrest anyone who violated their orders.
The Long Beach Police Department shut down The Pike Outlets following a large disturbance and multiple fights among juveniles on Saturday. https://t.co/mIOk2inGep pic.twitter.com/yfLvwaLQfx
— KTLA (@KTLA) March 17, 2024
They’re going to make such productive and well adjusted adults
— Riley (@pathforward327) March 17, 2024
Shortly after the fight, according to KTLA, a teenage boy was shot nearby and rushed to a local hospital where he was listed in stable condition.
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It remains unclear whether the shooting was related to the fight.
The incident at The Pike Outlets is a symptom of a growing trend of flash mob violence, particularly among juveniles.
According to KNBC in Los Angeles, in December, five individuals were detained following a large brawl involving about 1,000 teenagers at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance.
The flash mob violence resulted in minor injuries to a police officer and one teen.
The Del Amo Fashion Center implemented new age restrictions effective March 1, according to KTLA.
A sign at the entrance to the mall indicates that “All visitors under 18 must be accompanied at all times by a parent or adult, age 21 or older, after 3PM on Fridays and Saturdays.”
This is not the first time recently that the Long Beach area has experienced mob violence and crime.
In 2013, LAist, an independent news outlet and NPR member station, reported that Long Beach experienced a string of so-called “bash mobs” or “flash mobs” of teenagers running through the streets and attacking and robbing local residents and tourists.
The Los Angeles Times reported that same year that these crime waves were organized through social media and have occurred in Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., among other places.
