A PTA-sponsored hayride in Collingswood, New Jersey turned chaotic as hundreds of unruly teens caused havoc in Knight Park. The Collingswood Police Department had to intervene after approximately 200+ juveniles were dropped off at the park. The event, meant to be family-friendly, quickly descended into fights and unruly behavior among the arriving youths, prompting police involvement. The disruptive behavior began around 8:20 p.m. with young adults running recklessly through the crowd, cutting in line for the hayride.
To ensure the safety of families attending the event, police dispersed the rowdy kids, but ultimately had to shut down the Halloween event due to the uncontrollable situation. While attempting to manage the situation at Knight Park, police received reports of 50-70 juveniles taking over a local gas station, Wawa. These teens were reportedly stealing items and causing a disturbance. Wawa also had to close temporarily to prevent any further damage. The chaos extended through residential yards as some juveniles broke away from the main group and ran through nearby properties.
The police officers were met with resistance from the youths, some of whom were punching, kicking, and pushing past the officers to continue fighting. However, the officers were eventually able to disperse the crowd and restore order. Despite the chaotic events, no arrests were made by the police department. Event staff at the Collingswood Haunted Hayride acknowledged on Facebook that the evening had taken an unexpected turn. They expressed their gratitude for the support and feedback received, vowing to review and organize in preparation for future events in the upcoming year.
The PTA-sponsored hayride, meant to be a fun and family-friendly event, was marred by the disruptive actions of the unruly teens in Collingswood, New Jersey. The situation escalated quickly, with fights breaking out and reckless behavior by the arriving youths. Police intervention became necessary to maintain the safety of the attendees, resulting in the shutdown of the Halloween event. The chaos extended beyond Knight Park, with reports of juveniles causing disturbances at a local gas station, Wawa, and running through residential yards.
Despite the challenges faced during the event, no arrests were made by the police officers involved. The Collingswood Haunted Hayride event staff expressed their appreciation for the support and feedback received from the community in the aftermath. They acknowledged the unexpected turn of events and committed to reviewing and organizing in preparation for future events. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of effective planning and security measures at public gatherings, to ensure the safety of all attendees and prevent unruly behavior from escalating.
