Nine Arrests Made After Green Acres Mall ‘Takeover’: Police

VALLEY STREAM, NY. — Eight boys and one man are facing criminal charges Friday after police say a crowd of over 100 people descended on Green Acres Mall, started yelling and refused to leave the mall Thursday.

Police said Friday that officers had responded to a disturbance call at the mall at 4:35 p.m. Thursday. Upon arrival, police said the officers found a yelling crowd of between 100 and 150 minors and began attempts to disperse the crowd.

Social media videos posted from Green Acres described a “takeover” of the mall, similar one that took place Monday at the Bay Plaza Mall in the Bronx. Videos posted from Green Acres showed stores inside the mall closed shortly after the takeover. The Bay Plaza incident resulted in at least 18 arrests after a crowd of about 300 teens began damaging property in and around the mall, CBS News reported.

As for the green Acres takeover, eight under-18-year-olds were arrested during the dispersal efforts, police said. Police said a 13-year-old is charged with second-degree riot and unlawful assembly, a 14-year-old is charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a 15-year-old is charged with two second-degree counts of robbery, a third-degree count of assault, second-degree riot and unlawful assembly. Additionally, one 15-year-old is charged with petit larceny, while another 15-year-old is charged with attempted criminal mischief, reckless endangerment of property, riot, unlawful assembly and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. Finally, a trio of 16-year-olds were also arrested, police said. One of the 16-year-olds is charged with petit larceny, while another is charged with unlawful assembly and second-degree riot, and the third is charged with second-degree riot, unlawful assembly and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

Rounding out the arrests from Thursday’s incident was 19-year-old Jamiaca, Queens resident Keith Williams, who police said faces charges of riot, unlawful assembly, third-degree attempted assault and endangering the welfare of a child. All of the arrestees were issued appearance tickets for Mar. 3, police said.

To read the full CBS News report on Monday's Bay Plaza Mall incident, click here.