Cities try to curb teen takeovers from wreaking havoc

[00:00:00]City leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina are considering curfews for juveniles there. That's because of growing concerns about a trend called teen takeovers. We've shown you these videos before. It's when these huge groups of teens coordinate and gather in a public space, often disrupting daily and nightly life. Morning in America weekend anchor Anna Knment is here with us now for more. And Anna, of course, we know the problem extends far beyond Charlotte, but how widespread is this and the challenge to tackle these public disruptions?

[00:00:31]>> Yeah, it's a big deal, Mark. Good morning to you and everybody at home.

[00:00:34]So, these teen takeovers, it's a problem nationwide, as you just outlined there.

[00:00:38]And this is how it works. Typically, the details are shared online and then hundreds and sometimes even thousands of people find out about these events. And it's not just teenagers who were showing up, either. At one takeover, for example, in Tampa that we covered, 22 people between the ages of 12 and 21 were actually arrested there. Law enforcement and community leaders are trying to figure out ways to stop any trouble before it starts. Prevention is the key here. So, from a violent scene in Chipotle at a Chipotle there in DC, this one, oh my goodness, to a beach brawl there that ended in gunfire in Clearwater, Florida, you remember that?

[00:01:11]And then the 4th of July gathering that led to hundreds of arrests in Southern California, just really shows how widespread this is. These teen takeovers, they've been wreaking havoc and draining community resources from coast to coast, truly. Let's take a look at the nation's capital. There's a citywide curfew in effect year-round for anybody 18 and under. And many feel that there are more takeovers in the summer because kids are out of school, but we actually talked to one member of law enforcement who tells NewsNation this is actually a year-round issue. It's not just because it's hot and people are more welcome to be outside. Communities are trying different ways, different things to try to stop these events or offer options for teenagers as well, you know, sort of safer spaces for them to gather. Here in my hometown of Charlotte, they're talking about changing the current teen curfew to 9:00 for everybody under the age of 18 right now. The curfew for kids 13 to 15 years old starts at 11:00. So, some cities like Chicago and Detroit, they've put together block parties or community events to offer safer ways for people to gather, teenagers in particular. And in Florida, let's look there. The attorney general is issuing a plan to quote "take down teen takeovers." On Saturday, Bradenton, Florida police stopped a takeover from happening before anything escalated, but that came with consequences as well.

[00:02:30]Listen.

[00:02:31]>> You're talking about dozens of officers and deputies that are away from being out there proactively keeping our neighborhood safe, all to deal with one issue. It's an entire It's a drain on revenue. It's a drain on our resources.

[00:02:49]>> Yeah, and often impacting the very communities that can't afford it. Back to Charlotte, North Carolina again where we started and where I am right now. The city council is set to vote on a curfew recommendation on August the 10th, and we'll see how that goes and what other cities will be doing as well to try to prevent these.

[00:03:04]>> Yeah, and you laid it out in the video.

[00:03:06]It's not just at night. You know, these are happening in the middle of the daylight, too. I mean, just completely brazen. Um unbelievable video. Anna Kument, thank you for the update there.

[00:03:14]>> Thank you for watching. Subscribe below and download our NewsNation app right now on your phone, and you will get fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.