19 Juveniles, 1 Adult Arrested In Arbor Place Mall Brawl

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — One adult and 19 juveniles have been arrested in connection with an early September Arbor Place Mall brawl, Douglasville police said Tuesday.

The ages of the those arrested range from 12-17-years old, police said.

Charges include disorderly conduct, affray and simple battery, police said, adding nine people have been charged with violation of the Georgia Street Gang and Terrorism Prevention Act.

Police responded to Arbor Place Mall on Sept. 3, when they said they found around 200 people involved in a chaotic scene. Police said people were "running around screaming while others were fighting."

Police believe the crowd was at the mall for $3 movie day. Police said several kids had no parental supervision.

Minor injuries were sustained because of the fighting, police said.

Arbor Place was shut down early, and police said several fearful mall employees sheltered in place.

There was a report that someone with a gun was shooting, though police said there was no evidence of a shooting and they believe someone said there was a gun to increase social media engagement.

The police urged parents to know what their children are doing.

"The Douglasville Police Department encourages parents to monitor their child’s social media accounts and bedrooms for indications of gang involvement or interest. If you want information on what to look for, contact the Douglasville PD. The department has had numerous town hall meetings and information sessions to make parents more informed of current trends. We advertise these opportunities on our social media and website," police said in a news release.

Douglasville police said while educational and community outreach programs are effective, parents should ultimately be the ones to monitor their child's behavior, preventing them from being injured or being arrested.

"This may mean you shouldn’t let your 12-year-old go out unsupervised on weekend nights. Douglasville PD will continue to vigorously investigate incidents such as this and make arrests for any crimes committed. Parents should make sure their children understand this type of behavior will not be tolerated or ignored by law enforcement in Douglasville and Douglas County," police said in the release.