White Marsh Mall Juvenile Disturbance Draws Arrests, Safety Meeting Call

A pre-planned social media "link-up" brought large groups of juveniles to White Marsh Mall Saturday evening, triggering crowd dispersals with pepper spray, at least three arrests, and a call from Baltimore County Councilman David Marks for an emergency public safety meeting.

Baltimore County police were called to the mall around 5 p.m. Saturday for reports of juveniles creating disturbances. Officers deployed OC spray to push back the crowds, and by the time the situation was brought under control, three teens had been arrested on charges of second-degree assault, trespassing, and disorderly conduct. The White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company sent two ambulances to the scene to treat a pair of people injured during the incident.

Video obtained by CBS Baltimore shows multiple teens on the ground being handcuffed in the parking lot near The Avenue at White Marsh, the open-air shopping and dining strip adjacent to the mall. A convenience store owner inside the complex, who declined to be identified, described the chaos firsthand. "I saw that the police was there but I don't think even though police was there, the kids think they don't care. They'll do what they want to do," the owner told CBS.

The disturbance was not a surprise to authorities. Marks wrote on X that the Baltimore County Police Department had received advance intelligence about the planned meet-up before it materialized Saturday evening. "The police were prepared to disperse the crowds, working with the mall and THE AVENUE at White Marsh," Marks wrote. "I was told at 7 pm that there was no danger and crowds were being dispersed."

The situation was further complicated when officers were simultaneously called to the nearby Chili's Grill & Bar on Honeygo Boulevard after someone reported a shooting there. A Baltimore County Police spokesperson initially indicated shots had been fired and that several people were detained. By Sunday afternoon, police reversed course, saying they found no evidence of gunfire; the person who originally made the report later recanted. A separate investigation into a reported robbery of one of the teens in the area around the same time remains ongoing.

Marks has since scheduled a public safety meeting for Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Perry Hall Family Worship Center at 5125 E. Joppa Road. Representatives from Baltimore County Police, The Avenue at White Marsh, and White Marsh Mall are expected to attend. The meeting will be livestreamed on Marks' Facebook page. Baltimore County Councilman Marks also told CBS that police and mall security have been increased in the area to prevent further incidents.

Neither The Avenue at White Marsh nor White Marsh Mall management had responded to requests for comment as of Monday.