ORANGE PARK, Fla. — A series of fights caught on video shows chaos outside Orange Park Mall over the weekend. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said about 2,000 juveniles were at the mall when some caused havoc.
Videos posted to social media show fights breaking out and teens climbing on top of cars as several runs through the parking lot after 6 p.m. Saturday.
“Sad because you know that used to be the hub of this side of town. Everybody went to the mall. But it’s just changed. Everything has changed,” Joan Turner, a Clay resident, said.
In Sept. 2022, CCSO closed the mall early for a similar incident involving 1,000 juveniles. In Aug. 2021, gunfire rang out in the parking lot. Sheriff Michelle Cook told Action News Jax she “will not give up on the mall.”
READ: ‘I will not give up’: Sheriff Cook on crime at Orange Park Mall
“It’s a perception issue with Orange Park Mall, not a reality issue. I don’t want the perception to become the reality,” she said.
In an updated statement sent to Action News Jax Monday, she said, “We continue to work with our business community, elected officials, and the community to keep Clay County and the Orange Park Mall safe. This remains my priority. Off-duty deputies working security at the mall and our on-duty patrol units quickly responded and handled the disturbance, which was caused by a few unaccompanied juveniles.”
A representative for Orange Park Mall said, “At Orange Park Mall the safety of our guests, retailers, and employees is our top priority. Our team immediately implemented safety protocols and is working closely with Clay County Sheriff’s Office. We take a holistic approach to safety with industry best practices, camera surveillance, and other modern security procedures. Any activity that threatens safety will not be tolerated. We take these issues very seriously. We will continue to partner with local law enforcement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All visitors of the mall are required to adhere to our code of conduct, which is posted at all entrances and on our website. We also encourage guests to contact security with any concerns, questions, or issues they may have – it’s important if the public sees something, to say something.”
CCSO has not announced any arrests in connection to Saturday’s incident.
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