Maplewood Police arrested four teens, three from South Orange and one from Maplewood, in connection with a large fight that broke out after the fireworks at Memorial Park on Tuesday.
At around 10 p.m., officers responded to the area of Valley Street and Crowell Place after receiving a report of a fight, said Sgt. Christopher Black. Officers saw a large group of disorderly teens and attempted to disperse them but some of the teens resisted and refused to leave the area, Black said.
The MPD called in South Orange and Irvington Police Departments and several other agencies to assist in breaking up the crowd and monitoring their behavior. Several officers on foot and in police cars escorted the group through several streets to attempt to prevent further incidents, Black said.
Police arrested three teenage boys from South Orange, two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old, and one 16-year-old boy from Maplewood and charged them with a variety of counts including disorderly conduct, obstruction of the administration of law, resisting arrest, and aggravated assault on a police officer. The crowd eventually dispersed in the area of Elmwood Avenue near the Irvington border, said Black.
No officers were injured and there was no property damage as a result of the fighting, Black said. However, police are investigating two reports of broken car windows that were made several hours later that night, on Elmwood Ave. and Baldwin Rd.
The fireworks were rescheduled from July 4 due to weather; no wristbands or entry fee was required.
