MANCHESTER, Conn. – Three adults and one juvenile were arrested after a massive mall brawl in Manchester, Connecticut on Wednesday night that police said involved 200-300 people.
Shoppers were at the Buckland Hills Mall to exchange Christmas gifts and take advantage of day-after-Christmas sales when the brawl began about 6 p.m., the Hartford Courant reports. Six Manchester officers who were already at the mall were reportedly forced to call for backup and assistance from nearby towns.
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Video obtained by NBC Connecticut showed some of the chaos Wednesday night:
Investigators are trying to determine if the incident was pre-planned. A similar incident at the same mall the day after Christmas two years ago was organized on social media, according to police.
Another video, obtained by WFSB, showed crowds of people running through the mall as shoppers watch from inside a store:
Dynastee McCoy, 19; Inaeja Williams, 18; and Naejza Bates, 18, were charged with second-degree breach of peace, interfering with police and second-degree inciting a riot, police said. A 17-year-old male received similar charges along with first-degree criminal trespass. He was also charged with carrying a pistol without a permit after authorities discovered a .22-caliber handgun in his waistband.
Posted by Manchester Police Department on Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Police said that the brawl, involving mostly juveniles, lasted for about 30 minutes. Stores in the mall closed early as officers began to disperse the crowds, police said.
Groups of individuals gathered in the parking lot and at a nearby Walmart where the fighting continued, according to investigators.
A spokesperson for the mall released the following statement:
"There was an incident this evening at our shopping center, and we are grateful there were no injuries. We thank our security team and our partners at the Manchester Police Department for their swift response to contain the situation. The safety of our guests, retailers, and community is our highest priority."
The mall reopened as planned at the usual time Thursday morning.