Many teenagers arrested after fights ruined family event: police

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Two men and numerous juvenile teenagers were arrested in connection with fights that injured police officers and juveniles after hundreds of unsupervised youths gathered at the Gloucester Township Day drone light show , according to police.

The fighting began around 8:40 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Park in the 1200 block of Chews Landing Road and was reported to be under control shortly after 11 p.m.

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“I am grateful that the officers, families attending the event and even those involved in this disorderly conduct were not further harmed,” Police Chief David Harkins said in a news release, adding that the fights “ruined a big family event.” .”

“This type of lawlessness and violent, riotous behavior will not be tolerated and will not define the greater Gloucester Township community. »

Ronald Jones, 33, of Camden, was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, escape and disorderly conduct and taken to the county jail, police said. Kevin Coleman, 18, of Pine Hill, was charged with disorderly conduct and released, according to police.

The juvenile teens, all charged with disorderly conduct and released to a guardian, were aged 13 to 17 and were from Gloucester Township, Camden, Cherry Hill, Pine Hill, Winslow Township and Lauren Springs, the police said. police. Two of the teens were girls and the others were boys, police said.

A crowd of about 500 youths gathered around the basketball courts before the light show and began fighting and running recklessly, leading to two arrests, police said. The crowd remained hostile, authorities requested more police and the decision was made to start the show early, according to police.

After the show, large crowds moved to the nearby Marketplace shopping center, where fighting continued to break out, prompting further requests for police and emergency medical services, authorities said.

The fighting continued for two hours in the mall parking lot, with many of the instigators dressed in black and covering their faces with hoodies or masks, police said. Most of the juveniles were from outside Gloucester Township, had been dropped off and needed transportation, police said.

Several juveniles reported being assaulted and at least two suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, police said. Police say officers from Gloucester Township and Clementon Borough also suffered minor injuries while trying to break up a fight.

Amid the chaos, Jones rode his bicycle at high speed into a group of officers dispersing the crowd, striking a Gloucester Township officer from behind, knocking him to the ground and causing minor injuries, authorities said. Jones was immediately arrested but attempted to get out of his handcuffs, police said.

In total, nearly 100 officers from Gloucester Township, Camden County and Deptford Township responded to the incident, police said.