Long Beach Police Chief ‘proud of officers’ response to brawl at Southern California mall
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/long-beach-police-chief-releases-statement-on-fight-disturbance-at-southern-california-mall/
Chief Wally Hebeish says officers were aware of the large meetup well ahead of time and adequately prepared for any issues.
“We had hundreds of juveniles come to The Pike as part of a viral social media meet-up,” Hebeish said in a post on the Long Beach P.D.’s Instagram page. “Our officers were prepared and extremely visible throughout the downtown area.”
Hebeish adds that authorities declared a stage two tactical alert, which allowed the police department to ensure it was adequately staffed for the meet-up by adjusting the work schedule for officers on Saturday.
“At one point, a fight broke out,” Hebeish said. “And officers immediately intervened by running into a large crowd, taking control of the situation, and arresting both suspects involved.
“I am incredibly proud of the efforts of our officers [Saturday],” Hebeish added. “I want to reiterate that the Long Beach Police Department will not tolerate criminal acts or violence in our community.”
The Pike was safer when it was a run-down amusement park, decades past its prime.