More than 50 children and teenagers have been charged after a massive brawl erupted on Hersheypark’s opening day, sending families scrambling for safety and forcing some visitors to hide under tables.
The chaos broke out on April 3, just hours after the Pennsylvania amusement park opened for its 120th season.
Derry Township Police announced Monday that 55 people had been charged in connection with the violence. Authorities said 53 of those charged are minors, with ages ranging from 12 to 19.
The charges include both misdemeanor and felony offenses.
According to police, two groups of young people were seen on security footage arguing in one area of the park before the confrontation turned physical around 6:51 p.m., just over an hour before closing time.
Police were called in to help Hersheypark security break up a “large fight” near the family-friendly Trailblazer roller coaster.
The groups were separated, but the trouble did not end there.
According to PennLive, court documents said the two groups later met up again at a food court, where families were forced to hide under tables and flee the area as the violence continued.
Witnesses told police the brawl involved 50 to 60 teenagers.
Video posted online showed at least a dozen young people grappling and punching each other near roller coaster tracks as a crowd gathered around and filmed the chaos.
The violence forced park staff to shut down a ride.
“These actions caused serious inconvenience to Hersheypark staff and patrons of the park. This caused an emergency stop to the Skyrush ride,” officers said in court records cited by PennLive.
Police said some of the teens had been removed from the park through a side gate, but later re-entered through the main gate and became involved in another fight around 7:30 p.m.
After what police called a lengthy investigation into the “disorderly and assaultive behavior by numerous youths,” authorities filed charges including simple assault, conspiracy, theft, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, aggravated assault and riot.
Three adults were publicly identified among those charged.
Police said Omar Ibrahim, 19, Jerome Ross III, 18, and Quaneek Williams, 18, all from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, are facing charges connected to the brawl.
Williams has been charged with felony riot, assault and failure to disperse, among other charges, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by PennLive.
Ibrahim and Ross were charged with theft after they allegedly took an admission wristband from a minor and used it to enter the park. The theft charge was listed at $90.80, the cost of a single-day admission pass, according to the outlet.
The three men were charged through summonses and had not been arrested as of Tuesday night. Their first court appearances are scheduled for July 7.
Hersheypark said it has a zero tolerance policy for guests who violate park rules.
“Consistent with Hersheypark’s zero tolerance policy, those who do not abide by our policy will no longer be welcome on our property,” the park told CBS21.
The incident has raised renewed questions about teen supervision at amusement parks.
Hersheypark does not appear to have a chaperone policy for minors visiting the park. Other amusement parks, including multiple Six Flags locations, have implemented stricter rules for younger guests in recent months.
At Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, guests 17 and younger must be accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old after 4 p.m. each operating day.