Four teenage boys were placed under arrest on Monday night, January 1, after fireworks, fights, and riots broke out at Bayside Marketplace, a downtown Miami shopping mall. According to authorities, the incident resulted in dozens of police officers swarming the area.
Two 15 year old boys are facing charges of burglary, third degree grand theft and battery, as per the available arrest reports. The other two boys, aged 14 and 16 are being charged with arrest without violence. Additionally, one of the 15 year boys is also facing a charge of resisting arrest without violence.
According to reports, numerous police officers from different sections of Miami were called to Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Boulevard, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Monday evening. Police spokesman, Officer Michael Vega, said that multiple 911 callers reported hearing what they thought were several gunshots at the two-story open-air shopping center. Vega stated, “There were several reports of possible gunfire, but it was just fireworks.” Multiple officers responded to a city-wide emergency call concerning the incident.
Several live streams and videos began popping up on social media shortly after the incident started. The videos and live streams showed people running away from the scene as multiple police cars occupied Biscayne Boulevard, temporarily shutting it down between Second and Fourth Streets. Several officers in the videos could be seen carrying long guns.
On Tuesday, the Downtown Neighbors Alliance, an association representing residents of various condos in the area, spoke in a news release. The organization said, “Some officers were heavily armed and approached the crowd displaying high-powered rifles, reflecting the fact that officers were initially erroneously told the situation involved an active shooter.”
Police officers started escorting approximately 50 juveniles out of the mall when they suddenly spotted around 15 teenagers beating up a driver, according to the teens’ arrest reports. Police officials said that the group quickly ran away when they attempted to use their loudspeakers to instruct the teens to stop what they were doing. Several officers engaged in a foot pursuit and chased after the teens, ultimately ending at a parking garage at 30 SW First Street.
Following the arrest of the four teens, the driver told police that he was beaten up by two of the teens because he confronted them for throwing an unspecified type of bottle at his car. The driver also said that one of the teens stole a blue iPhone 13 Pro Max from his center console.
Police say that some stores at the mall were damaged and had to close. Vega, the driver, said he was hurt but refused treatment from Miami Fire Rescue paramedics. No one was hospitalized. The identities of the teens are being withheld at this time.
Police say that most of the unruly crowd dispersed after the incident by 10:30 p.m. The Downtown Neighbors Alliance is urging officials to use the incident as a “teachable moment.” The organization said, “It is crucial for our city leaders to prioritize public safety downtown, striking a balance between preventing disorder, protecting freedom of assembly, and maintaining an environment that does not incite unnecessary panic among residents and visitors.”
