Police: Fights Break Out After Nearly 200 Teens Gather In North Philadelphia
Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook | Twitter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police in North Philadelphia are investigating after one person was injured during a large gathering of unruly teen on Sunday night.
It happened around 7:30 p.m. when police say more than 200 teens gathered near Oxford and Broad.
"Kids everywhere. Police everywhere. That's all," said Aj Alame, who owns a pizza shop a half block from the scene.
"That's when I saw all the kids. Cops flying everywhere and they were little kids," said Lenora Phillips, who dropped her grandson and his friends off at a free concert at a venue near Broad and Parrish. That was around 6 p.m. About an hour later, she says her grandson frantically called her.
"He said there was fighting and stuff, so we walked up," said Phillips.
Police says fights broke out in the street and at least one teenager was injured. A police vehicle was also damaged by a rock.
Folks like recent Temple grad Chris Haslam say he's been around similar spontaneous gatherings in the past.
"It gets to be really scary because you don't know necessarily what to do because it is just a bunch of kids," said Haslam.
He and others hope the city makes more of an effort to provide other activities during the slower summer months.
"Get kids off the streets and into some more extracurricular programs," Haslam added.
Eli White says, "I feel like if there were a lot more activities the kids would have something they can redirect their energy other than doing mischief.
Philadelphia police say no arrests have been made.
