Mayfair disruption was planned via social media, mall manager says

Facebook thought to be involved in sudden arrival of unruly teens

By Doris Hajewski and Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

Jan. 04, 2011 0

The incident that brought more than 100 disruptive teens to Mayfair Mall Sunday was planned through social media, probably on Facebook, mall manager Steve Smith said Tuesday.

Nine juveniles were apprehended Monday night in connection with the incident, which forced an early closure of the mall Sunday.

Wauwatosa police also confirmed that a gun was fired outside the mall late Sunday afternoon. Wauwatosa CrimeStoppers on Tuesday announced a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunman.

Also on Tuesday, both Mayfair and Bayshore Town Center in Glendale announced tougher teen curfews in response to the Sunday incident. Both centers now will restrict access to the center by teens under 18 on Sunday afternoons, in addition to Friday and Saturday curfews that are already in place at both centers.

In his first interview since the fracas occurred, Smith described the events and Mayfair's response:

Sunday was a normal, busy Sunday at the mall. But at 3:30 p.m., things changed.

"There were large numbers of teens getting off the buses and arriving by car. All of a sudden, we had large amounts of teens in the center," he said.

That was unusual for a Sunday, and the kids' behavior was unlike that of teens who come to the center to shop and have fun.

"They were much more disrespectful - sitting on tables in the food court, running up and down the escalators, being a problem for security officers," Smith said. "They came in with the intent of disrupting business that day."

Security guards tried to stop the behavior, but the teens resisted and challenged the guards. When the guards told small groups to leave, they returned through other entrances, said Smith, who was out of town when the incident happened.

The guards decided to close the center to prevent the unruly teens from re-entering. The guards swept the center from one end to the other to get everyone out, Smith said.

There was no damage to the mall, and no one was injured Sunday, Smith said. Boston Store had some damage when the teens ran through the store knocking mannequins and merchandise to the floor, but no dollar estimate was available Tuesday.

9 juveniles arrested

Nine juveniles, all from Milwaukee, were arrested. A 17-year-old girl was referred to the Milwaukee County district attorney's office on a retail theft charge. Eight others were referred to Milwaukee County Children's Court for possible charges.

The mall is continuing to work with Wauwatosa police, who are investigating the incident, Smith said.

The Sunday event is not believed to be connected to an attempt by Wauwatosa West students to stage a "flash mob" game of freeze tag in the mall on Dec. 23. The Tosa West effort was thwarted when the mall managers learned of it ahead of time.

A flash mob is a group of people who arrange by e-mail or social media to assemble suddenly in a public place, perform a prearranged act, and then disperse.

Altering curfews

The changes in teen curfews at Mayfair and Bayshore will restrict access to the centers after 3 p.m. on Sundays for teens under 18.

Mayfair's security officers have been enforcing a policy in which people 17 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult age 21 and older after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bayshore Town Center has been restricting access to unescorted teens after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays since last year, when a large number of teens gathered in the food court and then ran through the center, disrupting shoppers. Starting immediately, teens 17 and under also must be escorted by a parent or legal guardian if they are on the property after 3 p.m. on Sundays.

"We have taken these proactive steps to maintain and strengthen our family-friendly atmosphere and welcoming environment," Bayshore manager Chris Jaeger said in a statement. "These measures have and will continue to include strong community partnerships with the City of Glendale, our local police force, the transit system, individual store owners and our own security team and Bayshore ambassadors. We also regularly monitor social media outlets to stay abreast of public discussions and perceptions related to Bayshore."

David Keating, a General Growth Properties spokesman, said the company was reviewing its policies to determine what additional changes might be considered at Mayfair.

Mall officials and Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier have stressed that the mall is a safe place to shop. Didier said Monday that at least 9 million people a year use the mall.

Don Walker thumbnail
About Don Walker

Don Walker covers Milwaukee's City Hall and the business of sports.

0 Share Tweet Print

BusinessWatch

Advertisement