Four (4) juveniles have been arrested after a brawl at the Menlo Park Mall last night, according to police and multiple reports. There was a TikTok “meet up” which saw at least 300 teenagers gather at the Menlo Park mall last night before chaos ensued. The incident occurred around 8:15 p.m. at the Menlo Park mall located at 55 parsonage road in Edison. According to reports, multiple police departments responded including Edison, Piscataway, South Plainfield, and Woodbridge. When police responded they found mall security trying to control the mob of teenagers engaged in fist fights in various places in the mall including the food court and the parking deck.

Police were originally called to the scene regarding shots being fired but no shell casings were found and shots have not been confirmed. The juveniles have been charged with disorderly conduct.

Typically, in cases like this, the defendants will be charged with simple assault (fighting) and disorderly conduct. These are disorderly persons (misdemeanor) level charges in NJ. Because the defendants are juveniles, these cases must be handled in Juvenile court in the county in which they reside. For example, the incident occurred in Menlo Park Mall (Edison) which is Middlesex County but if the juvenile resides in Scotch Plains, for example, the case will be handled in Union County where the juvenile resides.

Simple assault is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a) which provides in pertinent part:

2C:12-1 Assault.

2C:12-1. Assault. a. Simple assault. A person is guilty of assault if the person:

(1) Attempts to cause or purposely, knowingly or recklessly causes bodily injury to another; or

(2) Negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon; or

(3) Attempts by physical menace to put another in fear of imminent serious bodily injury.

Simple assault is a disorderly persons offense unless committed in a fight or scuffle entered into by mutual consent, in which case it is a petty disorderly persons offense.

Disorderly conduct is governed by N.J.S.A 2C:33-2 which provides in pertinent part:

2C:33-2. Disorderly conduct

a. Improper behavior. A person is guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense, if with purpose to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk thereof he

(1) Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior; or

(2) Creates a hazardous or physically dangerous condition by any act which serves no legitimate purpose of the actor.

b. Offensive language. A person is guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense if, in a public place, and with purpose to offend the sensibilities of a hearer or in reckless disregard of the probability of so doing, he addresses unreasonably loud and offensively coarse or abusive language, given the circumstances of the person present and the setting of the utterance, to any person present.

“Public” means affecting or likely to affect persons in a place to which the public or a substantial group has access; among the places included are highways, transport facilities, schools, prisons, apartment houses, places of business or amusement, or any neighborhood.

Our criminal defense lawyers have literally handled thousands of these cases for clients throughout NJ for over 18 years. Contact our offices now for a free initial consultation and immediate assistance at 201-556-1570.

Here are some news articles related to the incident:

• News 12
• NJ.com
• RLS media