What really happened?
COLLEGE STATION - A late Saturday night at a local carnival turned into what College Station Police are calling rioting that took more than two hours to clear.
In all, five teens, including four juveniles, were arrested in an incident that is said to have taken 27 members of four law enforcement agencies to end. Three of those officers were injured in the melee, though not seriously. At one point, more than 1,000 people were estimated to be part of the crowd where the violence was taking place
According to a CSPD release, after already clearing up "several situations among juvenile individuals that were about to result in juveniles fighting each other," four off-duty police officers hired to work at the Wright amusement-run carnival at Post Oak Mall were called to a fight in the parking lot on the west side of the event. That was at approximately 10:40 p.m. Saturday.
CSPD says they started to break up the fight when one female juvenile who had been detained started resisting. At one point, she's said to have hit an officer in the jaw with her knee. As officers say they tried to stop the teen from fighting, a crowd of 200 in the area doubled and became hostile, throwing cups filled with liquid.
On-duty CSPD officers were requested, this as the crowd continued to grow. CSPD estimated it at 1,000, saying they were mostly juveniles who were unattended. Officers say they began cursing and "aggressively posturing" towards them, with one seen "making a handgun gesture to the back of an Officer's head and pulling the trigger," the CSPD release says.
Authorities say more fights broke out, and Wright Amusement and CSPD decided to shut down the carnival for the night. Backup was called for, and members of the Texas A&M University Police, Bryan Police and Brazos County Sheriff's Office arrived. Twenty CSPD officers were joined by seven from those three agencies.
While some from the crowd left -- including "a large number" picked up from the carnival -- others reportedly stayed and continued to cause trouble.
CSPD specifically notes Anthony Lee Eason, 17 of College Station, who officers say refused to leave. Arrested for criminal trespass, CSPD says he resisted, and that it took multiple officers to control him. Police say two juvenile females rushed the officers who were arresting Eason, and despite being told to stay back, they didn't. One of the girls is said to have resisted and pushed past an officer trying to take her into custody. The other girl allegedly hit that officer in the throat.
In addition to the trespass and resisting charges, Eason faces a marijuana possession charge.
Post Oak Mall security authorized CSPD to issue criminal trespass warnings to those who refused to leave. As officers were doing that, they say a 15-year-old male gave fictitious information. As he was arrested, brass knuckles were allegedly found on him. The teen faces charges of failure to identify and resisting arrest.
It wasn't until 1:00 a.m. Sunday that CSPD says they had the carnival cleared. Security will be increased "to help thwart any future problems with unlawful behavior," they say. An investigation into the incident continues, and if you have any information that could help College Station police, you're asked to contact them.
For those wanting to return to the carnival, Wright Amusement tells CSPD anyone who purchased a wristband Saturday can exchange it at a ticket booth for a new one that will be good on one night of the patron's choosing.
COLLEGE STATION - A late Saturday night at a local carnival turned into what College Station Police are calling rioting that took more than two hours to clear.
In all, five teens, including four juveniles, were arrested in an incident that is said to have taken 27 members of four law enforcement agencies to end. Three of those officers were injured in the melee, though not seriously. At one point, more than 1,000 people were estimated to be part of the crowd where the violence was taking place
According to a CSPD release, after already clearing up "several situations among juvenile individuals that were about to result in juveniles fighting each other," four off-duty police officers hired to work at the Wright amusement-run carnival at Post Oak Mall were called to a fight in the parking lot on the west side of the event. That was at approximately 10:40 p.m. Saturday.
CSPD says they started to break up the fight when one female juvenile who had been detained started resisting. At one point, she's said to have hit an officer in the jaw with her knee. As officers say they tried to stop the teen from fighting, a crowd of 200 in the area doubled and became hostile, throwing cups filled with liquid.
On-duty CSPD officers were requested, this as the crowd continued to grow. CSPD estimated it at 1,000, saying they were mostly juveniles who were unattended. Officers say they began cursing and "aggressively posturing" towards them, with one seen "making a handgun gesture to the back of an Officer's head and pulling the trigger," the CSPD release says.
Authorities say more fights broke out, and Wright Amusement and CSPD decided to shut down the carnival for the night. Backup was called for, and members of the Texas A&M University Police, Bryan Police and Brazos County Sheriff's Office arrived. Twenty CSPD officers were joined by seven from those three agencies.
While some from the crowd left -- including "a large number" picked up from the carnival -- others reportedly stayed and continued to cause trouble.
CSPD specifically notes Anthony Lee Eason, 17 of College Station, who officers say refused to leave. Arrested for criminal trespass, CSPD says he resisted, and that it took multiple officers to control him. Police say two juvenile females rushed the officers who were arresting Eason, and despite being told to stay back, they didn't. One of the girls is said to have resisted and pushed past an officer trying to take her into custody. The other girl allegedly hit that officer in the throat.
In addition to the trespass and resisting charges, Eason faces a marijuana possession charge.
Post Oak Mall security authorized CSPD to issue criminal trespass warnings to those who refused to leave. As officers were doing that, they say a 15-year-old male gave fictitious information. As he was arrested, brass knuckles were allegedly found on him. The teen faces charges of failure to identify and resisting arrest.
It wasn't until 1:00 a.m. Sunday that CSPD says they had the carnival cleared. Security will be increased "to help thwart any future problems with unlawful behavior," they say. An investigation into the incident continues, and if you have any information that could help College Station police, you're asked to contact them.
For those wanting to return to the carnival, Wright Amusement tells CSPD anyone who purchased a wristband Saturday can exchange it at a ticket booth for a new one that will be good on one night of the patron's choosing.
