Brawling Teenagers Force Pittsburgh-Area Mall to Close Early
Mall brawls aren’t just for Black Friday anymore.
The Monroeville Mall, located about 15 miles east of Pittsburgh, was forced to close early Friday night after multiple fights broke out across its two floors, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Hundreds of teenagers began to converge on the mall around 5 p.m., though mall security officers said that the number may have been closer to 1,000. Though the push to go to the mall was prompted by social media, police don’t believe that the teens were there for any organized event.
Witnesses told CBS affiliate KDKA that a brawl between two teenage girls sparked a number of other fights, leading to “complete chaos.’’ Up to six different fights took place across the mall, WPXI reports.
Many bystanders took video of the melee, including the footage contained in this report from WTAE:
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The Post-Gazette reports that several stores went into lockdown when the fights spread to the mall’s second floor. Customers in an American Eagle were told that they could either exit the store or be locked in; unsurprisingly, about 15-20 reportedly decided to remain behind the gates.
Mall management ultimately agreed to close the facility early.
At least two people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, and two people were arrested in connection with a domestic dispute earlier that day, according to WPXI. Police anticipate issuing a number of disorderly conduct citations as well.
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