Cops all over south orange avenue and SOPAC?

Any idea whats going on?

heard it was a wilding teenage thing, with kids from all over coming to SO.  A stabbing, not fatal thank goodness, we saw the ambulance race away. 

"Neighbors - I've received a few inquiries regarding what is occurring downtown.

I've been in contact with our Police Chief Kyle Kroll throughout the night. He reported earlier that large gatherings of youth were growing in numbers and unfortunately obstructing traffic and acting in a disorderly manner affecting the safety of those around them. The Chief requested mutual aid from surrounding departments for assistance. At this time, two individuals have been taken into custody.

There are no serious injuries nor any reports of weapons, etc. I mention that because rumors get started very quickly and already have begun. So those are the facts and if anything changes, I'll pass along as I hear from our Chief." 

https://www.facebook.com/sheen...

"SOUTH ORANGE — After an impromptu gathering of some 500 teenagers in downtown South Orange caught officials by surprise last weekend, village officials tonight will hold the first of two meetings to discuss how best to head off any more of the so-called "flash mobs."

In a reprise of similar incidents last year, the teens gathered nearly simultaneously Saturday night, taxing police resources.

The youths, nearly all from surrounding towns, started congregating about 7:30 p.m. after Tweeting the event, police Chief Jim Chelel said. Three teenagers were arrested on disorderly conduct charges, he said." 

http://www.nj.com/news/index.s...  

(Six years ago  - an unusually warm Saturday evening in February and word went out on Facebook for everyone to come to the "Vill." )

Saw this while driving my son and a friend home from a party. I was shocked. At first I thought it was a very bad accident or something at the train station, but as I neared S.O. Ave. and Valley, I saw the hoards of teens being detained and questioned. 

Very pleased by the way SOPD was on this last night. We need to send an early message that we will not condone this BS. We have teens who want to enjoy their own "downtown" and it isn't fair if they get swept up into the nonsense. We are a very lovely community and welcome all -- but you have to behave and not act like dicks. 

sender said: heard it was a wilding teenage thing, with kids from all over coming to SO.  A stabbing, not fatal thank goodness, we saw the ambulance race away. 

There was no stabbing... it was an unfounded rumor. Just want to keep the info accurate

kibbegirl said:

  We are a very lovely community and welcome all -- but you have to behave and not act like dicks. 

+1 

once again, my husband and I were there last night and spoke to 2 cops who told us there was a stabbing.  Once again, we saw an ambulance rush off.  Someone needs to talk to the police.

SORescue said:

sender said: heard it was a wilding teenage thing, with kids from all over coming to SO.  A stabbing, not fatal thank goodness, we saw the ambulance race away. 

There was no stabbing... it was an unfounded rumor. Just want to keep the info accurate

thank you!

No stabbing. It was a rumor.

sender said:

once again, my husband and I were there last night and spoke to 2 cops who told us there was a stabbing.  Once again, we saw an ambulance rush off.  Someone needs to talk to the police.

I was in S.O. early Saturday evening having dinner with my family just as the mob was starting to build. By the time we left the restaurant and got to our car, it was starting to get difficult to drive safely among the crowds that were acting like they were in some pedestrian square and not a busy road. 

I do hope the Village and police create an effective plan to stop these incidents.  We like to patronize S.O. businesses, but will consider other options on warm evenings if this kind of thing continues.  

SOPD and the Village have done an excellent job of preventing mobs like this after the flash mob in Feb. 2011. Among things that have been done are monitoring social media, having a police presence downtown and the concerts. The concerts don't start until May. This was the first warm Saturday evening this spring and it seems that the SOPD just let their guard down. From all accounts, the SOPD did an excellent job in dispersing the mob. I'm confident that everything will be done to prevent something like this from happening in the future. We have a wonderful downtown and Kibbegirl said it best - everyone is welcome, just don't act like dicks. 

sender said:

once again, my husband and I were there last night and spoke to 2 cops who told us there was a stabbing.  Once again, we saw an ambulance rush off.  Someone needs to talk to the police.

SORescue (you know, the EMTs who are actually IN the ambulances) said there was no stabbing.  I'd say they're pretty likely to actually know what was going on.

I personally do not want hoards of teens from other towns coming into South
Orange acting like they own this place. I heard they were blocking traffic,
fighting and there was a stabbing. I was told the reason these teens come to
South Orange is, because the towns they live in have a curfew. I'm legally
blind and do not feel safe with hoard of teens fighting and causing problems in
the village. The safety of all the residents of South Orange is a top
priority.

www.tapinto.net/towns/soma/art...

Statement by police. 

3 days later, but we made the front page of NJ.com...

http://www.nj.com/essex/index....

Actually, SO Rescue tweeted that they were responding to a stabbing.

Something must be wrong at NJ.com, because I read the comments on that article and it wasn't full of overt racism. Weird.

Smedley said:

3 days later, but we made the front page of NJ.com...

http://www.nj.com/essex/index....

yahooyahoo said:

Actually, SO Rescue tweeted that they were responding to a stabbing.

Sure, if a hysterical caller saw blood and assumed someone had been stabbed, that is how the rescue squad would have received the call and would have been responding believing they were going to treat a stab victim.  From what they're posting here it isn't a stretch to think that something along these lines happened.

The call on the air isn't always the call you get once on scene. 

spontaneous said:

yahooyahoo said:

Actually, SO Rescue tweeted that they were responding to a stabbing.

Sure, if a hysterical caller saw blood and assumed someone had been stabbed, that is how the rescue squad would have received the call and would have been responding believing they were going to treat a stab victim.  From what they're posting here it isn't a stretch to think that something along these lines happened.

The call on the air isn't always the call you get once on scene. 

Indeed, The SORS has posted that there was no stabbing ; that was just what the initial call told them but when they got there it was unfounded.  They don't know the true status till the arrive on the scene.

Police issue a statement saying there was no stabbing. Why is this not enough for some people? 

The hoards of teens coming into South Orange from other town is causing a
safety issue. There are lots of disabled people, the elderly and Families with
young children that want to be able to walk in the village on a nice
summer evening  without meeting up with hoards of unruly teens from other
towns.  Hoard of unruly teens can be very scary and over whelming to the
disabled, the elderly and young children. It like they are saying we can not
enjoy our village.  I want something to be done to stop the hoards of teens from
other towns coming to South Orange and taking over our village on nice summer evenings. I'm legally
blind and I definitely do not feel safe walking in the village with hoards of
teens from other towns blocking things and causing problems.