Huge brawl at California mall results in two stabbings of teenagers
Fresno CA March 15, 2022
Two juveniles have been stabbed, and one adult detained after a large fight broke out at a central California mall Saturday.
The incident took place just before 6:30 p.m. near the JCPenney store at Fashion Fair Mall in Fresno. Reports say about 15 people were involved in the brawl.
Fresno police confirmed one teenage boy was stabbed, according to FOX26. While on scene officers learned another teenage boy with a stabbing wound had arrived at a local hospital but told the station they are unsure if he was also involved in the fight.
Both boys are expected to recover but are being uncooperative with investigators.
Police are looking into whether a knife found outside the mall was the weapon used in the stabbing and are looking into surveillance videos to see how the whole situation unfolded.
An adult man was reportedly arrested, but it is uncertain what role he played in the incident.
Fresno’s mayor took to social media to address to the incident, saying the chief of police, a council member and himself will be meeting with mall management and security to develop a safety plan for the shopping center.
Fashion Fair Mall had one officer working inside the mall, and two others patrolling the parking lot Saturday, local newspaper The Fresno Bee reports.
“Earlier this month, police had to shut down one of the entrances to the mall a group of teens approached a 16-year-old to demand for his belongings, then pulled out a gun after he resisted. The was also the shooting inside the mall almost a year ago when shots were fired during a confrontation among patrons and part of the mall had to be evacuated,” the report reads.
