What’s behind the so-called 'teen takeovers' impacting cities?

[00:00:01][screaming] >> You're watching police foreign body camera footage of authorities in Temple, Florida trying to quell a so-called teen takeover.

[00:00:11]A phenomena sparking growing attention across the country.

[00:00:14]>> to turn into their vehicle. We need somewhere to put these 10-15s in.

[00:00:17]>> Largely organized by groups on social media, crowds of young people often swarming a public area where sometimes things can quickly spiral out of control.

[00:00:26]>> If you take part in criminal activity, expect criminal consequences.

[00:00:31]>> From chaos erupting at a popular beach in California leading to over 400 arrests during July 4th celebrations to some teens running amok in the streets of Chicago.

[00:00:41]>> This car just ran through a whole crowd of Chicago police officers.

[00:00:45]>> These unauthorized gatherings can be reckless and dangerous and we want to make sure that their lives are protected.

[00:00:52]>> Videos of these takeovers going viral.

[00:00:55]Some even turning criminal and violent with shots fired.

[00:00:58]>> The teenager facing charges in [music] the teen takeover in Raleigh.

[00:01:02]>> In our nation's capital, a recent violent fight at a Chipotle garnered national headlines. 14s were arrested.

[00:01:08]The polarizing incidents leaving some concerned business owners closing shop early.

[00:01:13]>> It's one of our busiest days of the week. So, it it is a hit and it's not fun and especially as a small business.

[00:01:19]>> And parents worried about their kids' safety.

[00:01:21]>> He was struck in his chest a quarter of an inch from his heart.

[00:01:27]>> The trend becoming a cultural flashpoint on cable news.

[00:01:30]>> Teen takeovers turning streets into crime scenes and a whole lot more.

[00:01:36]>> It's not just at night, you know, these are happening in the middle of the daylight, too. I mean, just completely brazen.

[00:01:41]>> Many of these so-called teen takeovers never result in violence, but authorities worried about the community sparking talks about public perception and safety from imposing curfews to calls to punish parents for their teens' behavior.

[00:01:54]>> Parents, if you don't control your kids, the district will.

[00:02:00]>> But do these viral videos tell the whole story?

[00:02:03]>> It's not the gathering itself that's creating the conflict, and I think that's what gets lost when we start to use the teen takeover label that something is going to happen or or that conflict is is part of it, and that is not always the case.

[00:02:18]>> We're in Detroit. Lawmakers and community leaders there seek answers and solutions.

[00:02:23]>> The impact really has just been more of overwhelming concern and kind of wondering why the young people are gathering.

[00:02:32]>> Turning to teenagers themselves for help.

[00:02:35]>> Us teens are not bad like how y'all trying to make it seem.

[00:02:39]>> It feels great to know that we have a voice at the table, that they are listening to [music] us.

[00:02:44]>> Detroit, the Motor City, famous for Motown, has increasingly grappled with teen takeovers. In May, a teen was shot in the midst of a gathering in downtown Detroit. He spoke to her affiliate, WXYZ.

[00:02:57]>> Somebody pulled the gun out and started shooting.

[00:02:59]>> Just days later, Metro Detroit news posting this video of another takeover, teens flooding a local park.

[00:03:06]>> Enforcement alone is not the answer.

[00:03:09]Our young people want to be invested in.

[00:03:11]They need structure and occupied things to do.

[00:03:14]>> Earlier this year, Mayor Mary Sheffield launched a program dedicated to try and stop the growing problem.

[00:03:21]>> We are not going to police our way out of violence and and crime, but we are going to treat it from a holistic public health approach with both intervention, prevention, and enforcement.

[00:03:34]>> Sheffield has turned in part to some of the teens who've attended these gatherings to find solutions like 16-year-old Donasia Tidwell.

[00:03:42]>> It was surprising in a way because who would have ever thought the mayor like would want to speak to a bunch of teens. Us teens, we got to get our our point across.

[00:03:53]>> Donasia attended a teen takeover this spring after seeing a flyer for the event.

[00:03:58]>> I don't think teens were looking for violence.

[00:04:02]I just think they wanted to go down there and respectfully just have fun and enjoy themselves.

[00:04:08]Some teens may have had the wrong idea going down there.

[00:04:12]>> The gathering isn't the problem or it's not a problem to be managed. It's a signal about what is missing and where that is missing. Professor Amethia Franklin has studied and attended some teen gatherings in Chicago. She says the gatherings show what these teens really need.

[00:04:31]>> They are leaving their neighborhoods because their neighborhoods do not offer what they're looking for, right? Safe public space, somewhere to be with other young people.

[00:04:43]>> Teens' extracurricular activities have been scrutinized for generations, from car racing immortalized in Rebel Without a Cause to teenagers breakdancing in Beat Street to videos of young people going viral forming flash mobs over the last decade.

[00:05:07]>> Teen takeover, using that label, is something that's that's The label itself is new, but um we've had previous labels. So, teen takeover is just the current iteration of those things.

[00:05:20]>> From city to city, the response to the so-called takeovers has varied.

[00:05:25]In Detroit, Seven Mile says her administration has allocated $2 million in youth programming.

[00:05:31]>> Having the voice of young people engaged in city government empowers them to really act differently and to empower other young people to do the same.

[00:05:40]>> Young people increasingly [music] making their voices heard, from over 50 teens on the Bureau of Police Commissioners' Youth Advisory Panel.

[00:05:48]>> We bring concerns from our community from a youth perspective to the police.

[00:05:52]And with that, we want to better enhance relationship between youth and the police department, and also rebuild that trust between the youth and the police department as well.

[00:06:03]>> To the Mayor's Youth Cabinet.

[00:06:04]>> We asked all these existing advisory councils, youth advisory councils, to elect one or two people to sit on this Mayor Youth Cabinet. We kind of have the voice of the masses, um, with when it comes to city of Detroit.

[00:06:16]>> Like the leaders of the leaders, pretty much.

[00:06:18]>> The city recently launching what they've dubbed the Occupy the Summer program.

[00:06:23]>> We are offering Friday marquee events that include concerts, free giveaways, different activities. We also have late-night basketball leagues and pick-up teams, uh, for young women and young men. [music] And so, 6 days a week for 10 weeks, there is something in your neighborhood, in your area, Eastside, Westside, Southwest Detroit, that is happening.

[00:06:43]>> D'Nasia, now an intern for the city, recently organized a sanctioned event called the Teen Kickback with teens downtown.

[00:06:51]>> It was more organized. It was safe a safer place.

[00:06:56]>> Teens weren't running all over the place, unorganized. They want us to see them. They want to be seen. They want places to gather. They need more outlets.