Post-Christmas fights erupt at U.S. malls

Post-Christmas brawls swept across malls around the country and sent shoppers scrambling toward the exits Monday.

Almost all of the incidents were started by juveniles, police say. Some were scuffles that began at food courts. Others involved false reports of gunshots. In many cases, several social media videos documented the ensuing panic.

The seemingly similar incidents, which took place at about a dozen malls sometime between Monday afternoon and evening, left local law enforcement officials investigating what caused the fights and whether they were somehow connected.

“At this time, we don’t know,” Sgt. Chris Amsler, spokesman for the Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colo., told reporters. “At this time, we don’t think it’s related. We just think it’s a coincidence.”

Amsler said a small fight began at the food court of the Town Center Aurora, located outside of Denver, at about 4:45 p.m. Monday and multiplied into dozens of skirmishes throughout the mall. All told, police believe about 500 people were involved. Five juveniles were arrested.

When police tried to break up the fight in the food court, a large crowd began surrounding the officers, prompting officials to call every on-duty officer in the city for backup, according to the police department.

In Manchester, Conn., seven people were arrested after a disturbance at The Shoppes at Buckland Hills that involved up to 10 teenagers, NBC Connecticut reported.

A similar incident happened at about 6:30 p.m. at a mall in Beachwood, Ohio, about 20 miles outside of Cleveland. False reports of gunshots also caused a wave of panic at malls in Chattanooga, Tenn. and Elizabeth, N.J.

JIM WEBER/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL VIA AP Police officers patrol parking lots around Oak Court Mall in Memphis, Tenn. after fights broke out Monday.