Tinley Mayor 'Deeply Saddened' By Teen Mob; 'Tighter Controls' To Come

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park residents can expect heavier security measures and checks in place at large-scale events, following a chaotic scene set in motion by a mob of 400 teens Saturday night.

Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz spoke out Tuesday, days after the incident that forced the cancellation of the final day of the Armed Forces Weekend Carnival at the 80th Avenue Metra Station. Rumors of another flash mob planned on social media Sunday prompted police to act, Glotz said.

"It was a tough decision," Glotz wrote, "but the safety of our residents and visitors is paramount and takes precedence over everything else."

Police released most of the teenagers into the custody of their parents, but five were issued citations for fighting in public. Those teenagers were not local, Glotz said.

He went on to reference a similar incident at the Lombard Spring Fever Carnival, calling the flash mobs "a growing trend."

Glotz praised the police department, saying authorities "were able to get things under control and stop a bad situation from escalating into something much worse.

"The event could have spilled over into the surrounding neighborhood," Glotz wrote, "but fortunately our officers were able to contain the incident to the 80th Avenue grounds."

Glotz warned of increased security measures and checks that will be put in place for future events.

"... you can expect to see even tighter controls in the future during big events such as this," he wrote. "Practices such as bag checks, defined event perimeters, youth supervision policies and other safety measures will be an ongoing part of large-scale events that have the potential to attract large crowds.

"It’s a sad reality, but gone are the days when we could hold an open event of this size without these measures in place."

Glotz encouraged civility in discussions about the event, stressing that the Village does not condone racism or hate speech.

" I implore all of you to conduct your interactions on social media with the same civility and respect you’d expect in return," he wrote.

Anyone who purchased tickets to Sunday’s carnival and would like to request a refund, please contact Windy City Amusements at (630) 443-4547 or the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce at (708) 532-5700. The Village is unable to issue refunds. All callers will be referred to Windy City Amusements.