Police quell large disturbance at CA. mall www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on January 12, 2009
Police quell large disturbance at CA. mall www.privateofficer.com
Torrence CA Jan 12 2009
dailybreeze.com A fight between two women at Torrance’s Del Amo Fashion Center escalated into a brawl that resulted in eight arrests, minor injuries to six people — including two police officers –
At least 30 police officers from agencies throughout the South Bay responded to the melee Saturday night, some using Taser guns to subdue a fighting group of at least seven people. Police moved about 500 patrons from the mall’s lifestyle wing to an adjacent parking lot, Torrance police Lt. Lloyd DeGonia said.
Torrance police officers working at the mall responded to a call around 9:15 p.m. from Del Amo security personnel needing assistance to stop a fight in the courtyard outside the AMC theaters on the second floor of the mall’s outdoor promenade, he said.
The fight broke out between two women, who were punching and kicking each other for an unknown reason, and a handful of other people joined in the brawl as bystanders gathered around to watch, DeGonia said.
Immediately upon police intervention, the crowd turned on the officers, punching one in the nose and leaving the other with minor knee injuries, he said.
“They got jumped by the other people who were with the people who were fighting,” DeGonia said.
The officers requested assistance, drawing at least a dozen other Torrance police officers to the scene, as well as officers from neighboring Gardena, Hawthorne, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and El Camino College, DeGonia said.
Fearing that the large crowd would escalate the incident, officers decided to evacuate mall patrons to a parking lot across the street from the promenade, he said.
“The decision was to clear the lifestyle center,” DeGonia said. “Basically, we got all the people out into the parking lot. As movies were ending, more people were coming out, and we pushed everyone back into the parking lot.”
Officers arrested the seven people involved in the fight, as well as another person who would not leave the scene, he said.
The two officers and four suspects were treated for minor injuries at nearby Torrance Memorial Medical Center, DeGonia added.
No weapons were used in the incident, and police did not find any in possession of the suspects.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the suspects. DeGonia said they were male and female, ranging in age from 16 to 20. Police do not believe they are gang members.
DeGonia said the suspects were Los Angeles County residents but did not live in the South Bay.
The suspects were booked on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, as well as interfering with an investigation, he said.
DeGonia did not know when the group would be arraigned.
Del Amo Fashion Center executives released a statement about the incident Sunday, expressing gratitude that it resulted in no major injuries.
“We are cooperating fully with local police officials to ensure the situation is handled appropriately, and will continue to do so in order to take the necessary steps in preventing further incidents of this kind,” it stated.
dailybreeze.com A fight between two women at Torrance’s Del Amo Fashion Center escalated into a brawl that resulted in eight arrests, minor injuries to six people — including two police officers –
At least 30 police officers from agencies throughout the South Bay responded to the melee Saturday night, some using Taser guns to subdue a fighting group of at least seven people. Police moved about 500 patrons from the mall’s lifestyle wing to an adjacent parking lot, Torrance police Lt. Lloyd DeGonia said.
Torrance police officers working at the mall responded to a call around 9:15 p.m. from Del Amo security personnel needing assistance to stop a fight in the courtyard outside the AMC theaters on the second floor of the mall’s outdoor promenade, he said.
The fight broke out between two women, who were punching and kicking each other for an unknown reason, and a handful of other people joined in the brawl as bystanders gathered around to watch, DeGonia said.
Immediately upon police intervention, the crowd turned on the officers, punching one in the nose and leaving the other with minor knee injuries, he said.
“They got jumped by the other people who were with the people who were fighting,” DeGonia said.
The officers requested assistance, drawing at least a dozen other Torrance police officers to the scene, as well as officers from neighboring Gardena, Hawthorne, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and El Camino College, DeGonia said.
Fearing that the large crowd would escalate the incident, officers decided to evacuate mall patrons to a parking lot across the street from the promenade, he said.
“The decision was to clear the lifestyle center,” DeGonia said. “Basically, we got all the people out into the parking lot. As movies were ending, more people were coming out, and we pushed everyone back into the parking lot.”
Officers arrested the seven people involved in the fight, as well as another person who would not leave the scene, he said.
The two officers and four suspects were treated for minor injuries at nearby Torrance Memorial Medical Center, DeGonia added.
No weapons were used in the incident, and police did not find any in possession of the suspects.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the suspects. DeGonia said they were male and female, ranging in age from 16 to 20. Police do not believe they are gang members.
DeGonia said the suspects were Los Angeles County residents but did not live in the South Bay.
The suspects were booked on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, as well as interfering with an investigation, he said.
DeGonia did not know when the group would be arraigned.
Del Amo Fashion Center executives released a statement about the incident Sunday, expressing gratitude that it resulted in no major injuries.
“We are cooperating fully with local police officials to ensure the situation is handled appropriately, and will continue to do so in order to take the necessary steps in preventing further incidents of this kind,” it stated.
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