Police Use Pepper Spray to Break Up Meriden Mall Melee

Police used pepper spray to break up a melee at the Westfield Shopping Center in Meriden Saturday night in which four people were arrested and a crowd of more than 100 onlookers surrounded the fight.

Meriden police had two officers assigned to the mall to help assist with any potential problems during the hectic holiday shopping season and at about 6:20 p.m. two juvenile females approached one of the officers and told him they were afraid that they were going to be assaulted by two other unidentified females, according to a police press release.

Within seconds, the other two females— a mother and a daughter — also approached the officer and both of them were screaming and causing a disturbance.

The officer attempted to calm the two females down and as the officer attempted to restrain the two from attacking the other two girls the daughter was able to break free and began to assault one of the other two girls.

The officer called for assistance; however, a larger fight ensued as numerous others became involved in the altercation.

Police said upwards of seven people were now fighting as a crowd of approximately 100 or more others began to surround the fight. Being alone and having to worry for his own safety, the officer deployed pepper spray on the aggressors in this incident.

Shortly thereafter, with the help of other officers who were now on scene, the officers were able to gain control of the scene and disperse the crowd.

Police said the Meriden Fire Department and ambulance crews responded to the scene since the pepper spray was utilized in an area where so many people were gathered. Anyone who may have been unintentionally exposed to the effects of the spray was cared for and the fire department utilized several fans to dissipate the effects of the spray.

Police said there were no serious injuries sustained and the disruption to holiday shoppers was minimal.

There were four arrests made as a result of the incident. Three adults and one juvenile were arrested, however, police didn’t immediately have names available of those arrested.