Crime & Safety

100s Of Rowdy Teens Shuts Down LA County Mall

Deputies said a social media post led 300 young people to the mall before things got unruly on Saturday afternoon.

LAKEWOOD, CA — Hundreds of rowdy juveniles gathered at Lakewood Center Mall Saturday, leading sheriff's deputies headquartered nearby to call for help from other areas to shut down the area and send them away.

A social media post led about 300 juveniles to gather starting at 2 p.m. at the mall at Lakewood Boulevard and Candlewood Street, said Deputy Tracy Koerner of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

The juveniles came and went throughout the afternoon.

Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

There may have been a fight early on that was quickly stopped by deputies, Koerner said.

The Lakewood sheriff's station called for help from the Century, Norwalk and Pico Rivera stations to help get the juveniles out of the stores and the mall, he said.

Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The shutdown started at 7 p.m. with anchor stores and the entire mall was closed by 9 p.m., Koerner said.

KCAL video taken from over the scene about 9 p.m. showed the mall deserted except for multiple sheriff's patrol cars.

The teens reportedly climbed on cars and lit fireworks, according to the Orange County Register.
No arrests, thefts or injuries were reported, Koerner said.

Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.