55 kids, teens charged in Hersheypark opening day brawl as families shielded children, hid under tables

Over 50 kids and teenagers have been charged for a massive brawl that broke out during Hersheypark’s opening day, which forced families to shield their children and hide under tables.Fifty-five people, including 53 minors, whose ages range between 12 and 19, had been involved in multiple fights across the iconic Pennsylvania theme park on April 3, the Derry Township Police Department announced Monday.The mob was hit with both misdemeanor and felony offenses.Officials said two different groups, “Group A and Group B,” were caught on security footage arguing in one section of the park before the clash turned physical, blowing up into a full-out brawl just after 6:51 p.m.— just over an hour before closing time.Police were called to help security break up the “large fight” near the family-friendly Trailblazer coaster.The dueling groups were separated before meeting up again at a food court, forcing families to hide under tables and flee the area, PennLive reported, citing court documents.Witnesses told the police the brawl included 50 to 60 teenagers.One of the fights had spilled over to near one of the rollercoasters, where at least a dozen youngersters grappled and punched each other as a large crowd gathered around them filming the fracas next to the tracks of a rollercoaster, according to video posted online.

The violent squabble forced park staff to shut down the coaster.“These actions caused serious inconvenience to Hersheypark staff and patrons of the park.This caused an emergency stop to the Skyrush ride,” officers said in court records viewed by the outlet.Some of the fighting teens had been kicked out by police at a side gate, but reentered the park at the main gate and got into another fight at around 7:30 p.m.After a three-month investigation, officials filed charges for the “disorderly and assaultive behavior by numerous youths” that included Simple Assault, Conspiracy, Theft, Failure to Disperse, Disorderly Conduct, Aggravated Assault,...