A group of rowdy teens attacked two police officers in South Carolina while the officers attempted to disperse a chaotic Fourth of July gathering that involved gunfire and fireworks directed at cars, according to authorities.
The incident took place around 8:30 p.m. at the North Charleston Nabe in Chicora Cherokee, when officers tried to end the celebration.
North Charleston Police Chief Ron Camacho made a public appeal stating, “We need your help. We really do. We need help from the community, because this stuff is getting dangerous.”
Officials mentioned that the event had initially received approval from the city, which had planned logistics with the organizers earlier that day.
Things took a turn for the worse later in the evening, with reports indicating gunfire and attendees igniting fireworks at passing vehicles, police noted.
Initially, the police attempted to break up the gathering, but their efforts went unnoticed. A fight erupted near the merry-go-rounds, and gunshots were heard. When officers exited their vehicles to intervene, they found themselves under attack from the crowd.
The situation escalated quickly. As police officers tried to manage the chaos, they were reportedly assaulted, with some being trampled by a group of teenagers.
Video footage captured one officer grappling with a young man, who was pushed to the ground, followed by his friend striking the officer. Another officer intervened but also faced an assault from surrounding youths and had to deploy a Taser to control the situation.
Authorities arrested four individuals at the scene, three of whom were juveniles, along with one adult.
In addition, police recovered four firearms, including two automatic rifles and a homemade spear from the event.
At a news conference, Chief Camacho denounced the teenagers’ behavior as “the most difficult thing I’ve had to deal with in my career as a police officer.” He implored the community to assist in guiding young people towards better conduct.
