An unruly mob of 500 teenagers swarmed a Colorado Burger King and supermarket in a chaotic “takeover” on Sunday.
Video footage shared on social media shows the out-of-control miscreants shouting in a Burger King, standing on tables, and then breaking into fisticuffs amongst each other.
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The uncontrollable mob — many of whom were between 14 and 17 years old — took over the Hoffman Heights Shopping Center in Aurora, Colorado, at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the Aurora Police Department said.
“The gathering appears to have been organized through social media around an unpermitted sporting event,” authorities added.
Initially, officers responded “to maintain safety and address the growing crowd,” but “as officers attempted to manage the gathering, groups entered nearby businesses, including a restaurant and a grocery store,” the police department explained.
“While some simply ran through the businesses, others vandalized property and stole merchandise,” police said.
More than 70 officers ended up responding to the chaotic scene — which was declared “an unlawful assembly” — and spent “several hours” on site attempting to “restore order and protect the surrounding community and businesses,” authorities added.
Aurora police reminded the public that “the size of the response required the department to redirect a significant number of on-duty resources that otherwise would have been available to respond to calls for service throughout Aurora.”
“This crossed the line from a gathering of young people into a police matter because of the behavior and criminal conduct of some of those involved,” Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said.
“We will not tolerate groups taking over roadways, disrupting businesses, damaging property or stealing under the belief that being part of a large crowd provides anonymity. It does not,” Chamberlain added.
The Aurora Police Chief also urged parents and guardians “to understand the role they play.”
“Know where your children are, who they are with and what they are being invited to through social media,” Chamberlain implored. “When hundreds of young people suddenly gather and behavior begins to escalate, the consequences can become serious very quickly.”
“Police officers should not have to be pulled away from other community emergencies to manage behavior that could have been prevented,” the Police Chief asserted.
The investigation into the incident remains active, while authorities review video footage and other evidence to identify those responsible for criminal activity, police said.
In recent years, chaotic events known as “teen takeovers” — large public gatherings of young people that often spiral into chaos and, at times, criminal activity — have become an issue in cities across the United States.
Alana Mastrangelo-Wrask is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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