FALL RIVER, Mass. — Eight juveniles were arrested after police say they refused to leave a McDonald’s restaurant and started crowding officers in Fall River on Wednesday afternoon.
Officers responding to a report of a large group of juveniles causing a disturbance at the CVS at 1620 President Avenue just after 3 p.m. learned the individuals in question had dispersed into a nearby McDonald’s, according to the Fall River Police Department.
When the officers entered the restaurant to ensure there were no additional disturbances inside the business, management staff said that juveniles “were not welcome to remain within the establishment due to the fighting behavior which had taken place,” police said.
Authorities say arriving officers issued over 23 warnings to the group to leave before making any arrests.
The juveniles then allegedly became confrontational with officers and refused to comply when told to leave the restaurant. One juvenile was told to leave repeatedly only to walk back through a separate entrance, according to police. He was arrested for trespassing.
“As officers attempted to make an arrest for trespassing, the group began to interfere with the arrest by crowding the officers and attempting to interject themselves,” the department said in a statement.
In the ensuing commotion, seven other juveniles were arrested on charges ranging from trespassing to assault and battery on a police officer.
Images from officers’ body cameras showed a chaotic scene inside the restaurant amid a melee with the juveniles outside and inside the restaurant.
An investigation remains ongoing.
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