Local News
Mom with baby describes chaos of 'stressful' Short Pump mall teen 'takeover'
SHORT PUMP, Va. — In the wake of a social media-organized teen "takeover" that forced Short Pump Town Center to close early Saturday evening, Henrico Police are urging parents to stay informed about where their children are going and what they are doing.
The incident began around 7:10 p.m. when mall security alerted Henrico Police to a large gathering of young people near one of the stores at the popular mall on W. Broad Street.
As security and officers approached, the teens scattered throughout the mall and spilled into surrounding roadways, including across all lanes of W. Broad Street.
WATCH: Mom describes chaos of Short Pump mall teen 'takeover' with baby in tow: 'It was stressful'
Some patrons were locked inside stores, while others were told to leave. The mall closed early as officers worked to restore order.
Investigators believe a social media post promoting a "takeover event" drew a large number of middle and high-school-age teens to the mall. And many appear to have been dropped off without adult supervision, according to police.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that between 75 and 100 teenagers were involved. Reports of gunshots circulated during the incident but were determined to be false. Police confirmed no shots were fired and no injuries were reported.
One teenage boy was arrested and charged with shoplifting and obstruction of justice in connection with a separate shoplifting incident at Dick's Sporting Goods about an hour and a half before the group of teens gathered.
Police urged parents to help young people make responsible choices when they are unsupervised. Officers said large-scale "takeover events" are a growing nationwide trend and that community awareness is key to ensuring everyone remains safe.
"Parents and caregivers play a key role in helping youth make responsible choices when they are unsupervised," police said.
Short Pump Town Center said Sunday the mall is operating as normal. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to call Henrico County Police at 804-501-5000, Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000, or submit the information through the P3Tips application on their mobile device. Information submitted through Crime Stoppers and the P3Tips application can be completed anonymously.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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