Seven Juveniles Arrested at Inner Harbor During Social Media Teen Link-Up

A 14-year-old was tased near Baltimore's Inner Harbor on Sunday after a social-media "teen link-up" pulled fighting crowds into downtown during the city's spring break week, one of seven juveniles arrested ranging in age from 12 to 17.

Baltimore Police responded to the Inner Harbor area on March 29 after learning the gathering had been promoted online. Officers found multiple groups of teenagers fighting and acting disorderly when they arrived. Portions of the crowd moved to Market Place, where confrontations continued and additional officers were called to assist with crowd control.

Three boys, ages 12, 14 and 17, were arrested at the 100 block of Market Place on common assault charges and later released to their parents. The 14-year-old had refused to comply with officers' commands and was tased before being taken into custody, according to police.

On E. Lombard Street, officers arrested three 13-year-old males for attempted armed robbery; the three were detained by Juvenile Booking. A 13-year-old girl was separately arrested on E. Lombard Street for common assault and released to a parent. The Baltimore Police Department reported no injuries.

Mayor Brandon Scott posted a video Sunday night responding directly to the arrests. "This type of behavior is not acceptable, and we will not tolerate it," Scott said. "I will not let the few ruin the spring and summer for the many." In a separate statement, Scott said: "Baltimore will not allow a few individuals to disrupt the spring and summer for any of our young people."

The arrests came days after Scott activated the city's Spring Youth Engagement Strategy, a community outreach effort aimed at keeping teenagers occupied during the school break. City officials continued organizing activities into the week.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley warned in a department release that violent and disorderly conduct will not be tolerated. BPD said the investigation remains active and the department is evaluating potential charges against those who promoted the social-media event.

City resident Andre Bowen put the arrests in a different context. "It's not adults. It's kids that are still learning and still developing," he said. Pamela Dubetsky, a Baltimore native, added: "They are not bad. They need different outlets.