FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Illinois — Fairview Heights police responded to a large gathering of approximately 250 teenagers near Raising Cane’s and surrounding parking lots.
Following local high school football games, where multiple altercations were reported.
According to Fairview Heights police and local reporting, an officer was monitoring the gathering when a Raising Cane’s employee reported that a fight had started inside the restaurant.
By the time the officer arrived, the two females reportedly involved had left.
The officer then observed a separate, larger fight near Taco Bell and saw a juvenile male punching a juvenile female.
The male juvenile was taken into custody.
A second confrontation leads to another arrest.
As additional officers arrived from surrounding departments, they encountered two juvenile males involved in a verbal confrontation.
Officers instructed the juveniles to leave the area.
One complied, but the other refused.
Police said the juvenile then moved toward an officer with his fists positioned as though he intended to fight.
The juvenile reportedly tripped over a bush and fell.
Officers subsequently arrested him while he resisted, according to police.
Police determined that the second juvenile was the brother of the first juvenile, and both are from Belleville.
A third juvenile male was briefly detained but was released after officers determined that his involvement was minor.
Juveniles released to parent.
The two arrested juveniles were transported to the Fairview Heights Police Department, processed and released to a parent in accordance with Illinois law.
Their cases are expected to proceed through the juvenile court system.
A parent was also charged with failure to supervise and issued a court date, according to the police account.
Because the individuals arrested are juveniles, their identities have not been published in this report.
Police issue warning about large gatherings.
Fairview Heights police are warning parents and teenagers about gathering and loitering around the restaurant and surrounding businesses after football games.
Police indicated that the department intends to strictly enforce loitering rules in the area.
Reports also state that signs had been posted and that the area was being monitored with video and license-plate readers.
Additional juvenile charges could follow after police finish reviewing available video.
The Raising Cane’s involved is located at 6565 North Illinois Street in Fairview Heights, along the Illinois 159 commercial corridor.
Authorities have not publicly established how the large gathering formed, how many people actually participated in the altercations, or whether the gathering had been planned beforehand.
Multiple Police
Departments Assisted.
Police from O’Fallon, St. Clair County, Collinsville, Caseyville, Shiloh and Belleville assisted Fairview Heights officers during the incident.
The Fairview Heights Police Department says its patrol officers respond to calls, maintain public order, investigate reported crimes and make arrests when warranted.
