18 arrests made in teen ‘takeover’ at Bay Plaza Mall
Officers responded to a 911 call for crowd control at 200 Baychester Ave just after 2 p.m., minutes after the planned takeover began.
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Eighteen people were taken into custody during a planned "takeover" at Bay Plaza Mall on Presidents' Day.
Officers responded to a 911 call for crowd control at 200 Baychester Ave just before 2:10 p.m., minutes after the takeover began.
"This is insane. I mean, I haven't seen it this bad ever," said one neighbor, Keshana.
Crowds of kids were seen in the area as police helicopters flew overhead.
As News 12 crew arrived on the scene, students said it was boredom that drove them to "takeover" the busy shopping area.
The planned event spread throughout several businesses, including a McDonalds right outside the mall. The window of the fast-food restaurant was shattered.
"A bunch of kids just came in here they were breaking everything...I was scared for my life, man. I got kids at home," said the employee, William Norman.
A spokesperson for The Mall at Bay Plaza told News 12, "There was no damage and the mall did not close. The Incident resolved quickly with the cooperation of the NYPD. The mall is operating its normal hours."
Authorities say the officers issued multiple warnings, ordering the large, disorderly group to disperse.
The plan was shared on social media, stating that the event would end when the teens were “kicked out.”
This is not a new trend at the Baychester shopping center; around 400 teens flooded the mall in March.
