Teen takeovers turn city centers into scenes from ‘The Purge,’ with shootings, fights and dangerous stampedes: cops
By Michael Kaplan
Published March 30, 2026, 5:57 p.m. ET
Teens across the nation are wreaking havoc by holding “takeovers” — wild and often violent gatherings which are overwhelming local police forces.
People chasing internet notoriety organize the meetups online, which spread like wildfire, prompting mobs of hundreds to turn up unannounced at public spaces like shopping malls, city streets, parking lots and businesses and taking them over.
The planned events have spread across the country from Florida to Virginia to Chicago and Washington DC, with videos posted from one fueling the next, according to law enforcement sources.
Police attempting to arrest multiple young individuals during a chaotic brawl at The Mall at Bay Plaza in Bronx, NY.
Police try to quell a teen takeover at The Mall at Bay Plaza in Bronx, NY, in February.
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https://nypost.com/2026/03/30/us-news/teen-takeovers-turn-city-centers-into-scenes-from-the-purge-cops/
