On Dec. 30, 2023, a large group of teenagers began fighting in Torrance’s Del Amo Fashion Mall. According to Fox 11 News, five minors were arrested after the disturbance, as many complaints were made claiming the crowd of 1,000 teens was throwing bottles and causing a scene. Three females and two males, from the nearby cities of Gardena, Torrance, Hawthorne, and Compton were arrested. This incident exemplifies violence in our community, particularly among teenagers, highlighting the need for increased consequences to unlawful actions.
There is no indication as to what started the brawl, which prompted the closure of the mall and the response of eleven law enforcement teams to manage the rowdy teens. Thankfully, no weapons were used in the altercation. Two people were injured during the incident, including a minor and one Torrance police officer. The number of teens who continued to partake in the brawl after police intervened is alarming. South Bay youth are choosing to participate in violence, a pattern that will continue if there are no significant repercussions.
At the time of the uproar, Costa sophomores Ava Linnecke, Sophia Peña, and Riley Marsh were inside the AMC theaters watching the new rom-com Anything But You, until they were informed of the riot outside. According to Peña, panic spread through the movie theater and fear grew amongst attendees. A place of relaxation and entertainment was quickly turned into a hub of anxiety as moviegoers heard the news of the brawl outside. This is not the first dangerous situation that has occurred in Del Amo Mall, which is meant to be a place where families and friends go to have a good time and enjoy themselves.
Two weeks prior to the mall brawl, Redondo and El Segundo High Schools received student gun threats on their campuses within one week. Redondo Union was forced to institute metal detectors to ensure that weapons were kept off of campus. With the recent uproar of violent incidents, schools, which should be a safe environment to foster learning, have become increasingly cautious regarding possible threats on campus.
Violence seems to be affecting our community in different ways, in this case through wrongful use of firearms and aggressive crowds. Violence among teenagers negatively affects adolescents and is becoming more common in the area, even infiltrating schools. Without the deterrent of violence through stricter juvenile delinquency laws, the youth of the South Bay community will harbor misconceptions of how seriously their actions impact others.
In light of recent events and a history of multiple violent incidents in the South Bay, many people may not feel that it is safe to spend their free time at the mall. With the absence of consequences to unlawful actions, chaos will continue to occur in the South Bay area, continuing to influence our youth, for example like the MB Goons. Overall, the Del Amo mall incident reveals how acts of violence are putting our community at risk, necessitating stricter consequences to unlawful actions, including the involvement of police and courts. It is important to recognize the severity of committing violent acts as they can put others and yourself in dangerous situations, leading to avoidable consequences.
Leave a Reply