'It Was Just Chaos': Massive Teen Brawls Break Out At Malls, Theaters Across California

CALIFORNIA — Massive fights involving gunfire, injuries and hundreds of teenagers broke out at shopping centers and movie theaters across California over the weekend, according to authorities. In addition to California, large teen brawls broke out at theaters in other states including New York, Boston, Illinois, Georgia, Indiana, New Hampshire and Connecticut on National Cinema Day Sunday, according to multiple reports.

In Southern California, an estimated 1,000 juveniles got into a brawl Sunday at the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, City News Service reported, adding it took police roughly five hours to clear the mall and residents were warned to avoid the area.

“It was a very large crowd,” Sgt. Ron Salary said.

A witness confirmed a gun was fired during the fight, although no one was shot, according to Salary, who said some juveniles suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, while a number received citations. Torrance police requested assistance from neighboring agencies to disperse the crowds, he said, adding the mall remained open despite the upheaval.

On National Cinema Day tickets at movie theaters such as the AMC Del Amo 18 cost only $4. Salary was unsure if the fights in Torrance were directly related to the event, but noted the promotion drew larger crowds than usual.

"It was just everybody just running, going to the movie theater," Connor Swan told KABC. "Everybody was just jumping on top of people. It was just chaos."

Chaos struck the Bay Area on Sunday as well, where hundreds of young people swarmed Bay Street Emeryville and several fights broke out, according to police, who said a juvenile was stabbed and a gunshot was reported in the melee.

The first call to police came around 4:30 p.m. regarding about 50 young people causing a disturbance in a store, authorities said. By 5:45 p.m., roughly 250 more young people had come to the mall, with fights starting to break out, according to police.

The gunshot was reported just before 6 p.m. near Bay Street and Ohlone Way, police said, adding no victims or suspects were identified. About an hour later, the stabbing report came in near Elm Drive, according to police, who said the juvenile victim was treated and taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

Neighboring agencies assisted in the response and the scene was cleared by 8:30 p.m., police said.

A juvenile was arrested, KGO reported, adding AMC Bay Street 16 was temporarily closed after the incident.

In Stockton, two people were pepper sprayed Sunday evening in connection with a large fight involving juveniles near the Regal Stockton City Center movie theater, according to ABC10, which added one girl received a citation.