3 arrests after group of teens swarms Germantown
GERMANTOWN (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police made three arrests after a large group of teens swarmed in the Germantown section on Sunday night.
Dozens of police officers responded to the scene in the area of Chelten Avenue near Anderson Street around 8:30 p.m.
Police had to shut down the intersection and it took hours to disperse the teens. It's not the first time this has happened here.
"It's curious. Nobody knows why this has happened here," said resident Bernard Burke.
For the second time in three weeks a cookout organized by teens through social media got out of hand and prompted calls to police.
RELATED: Differing accounts emerge of Germantown teen party
Police say some 300 teens gathered at the Lonnie Young Recreation Center Park.
"Most of those kids aren't causing any problems, but it just was too many and at some point in time we have to disperse the crowd," said Commissioner Richard Ross.
By 9:30 the group swelled to nearly 500 young people. Officers blocked off intersections as teens ran up and down main roads, jumped over fences and onto residential properties.
A police chopper hovered over the chaos. A police SUV was damaged.
"I don't understand what's going on out here with the kids today," said John Nelson.
Burke had to walk through the crowd to go home.
"I'm thinking 'What are y'all doing out here?'" said Burke. "A little one came up to me and said 'I don't have no curfew.' I said 'Yes you do!'"
"I wish that they would be a little more careful about how they do that. But even adults that get caught up in groups sometimes do things they wouldn't otherwise do," said Ross.
Some residents were glad no injuries were reported, but they believe with more warm days ahead, incidents like this are far from over.
"It's the second time it's happened. It will probably happen again before the summer is over," said Burke.
Councilwoman Cindy Bass began an effort earlier this summer to have activities throughout the week and keep these kids out of trouble and prevent exactly what happened.
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