Police: Two teenagers arrested after security officer battered at Springfield mall
A security officer was battered and two 15-year-olds were arrested in a melee at White Oaks Mall on Wabash Avenue early Saturday evening.
It was the second incident at the mall within a week involving arrests. Two teenage girls who were involved in a fight were arrested and charged with aggravated battery Tuesday.
A press release from Springfield Police said there were initial reports of gunshots fired inside the mall Saturday. Those reports couldn't be confirmed after SPD officers spoke with witnesses who had remained on scene, the release stated.
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An initial dispatch ticket said approximately 15 subjects were getting ready to fight and that 60 to 100 kids were surrounding security officers at the mall, said SPD Lt. Timothy Jenkins, reached Sunday morning.
Over 35 police officers, including 27 from SPD and seven from the Sangamon County Sheriff's Department, responded to the scene. Officers from Southern View and Leland Grove police departments also were present.
The incident was called in around 6:45 p.m.
SPD officers found the 49-year-old male security officer on the floor outside of the food court area on the mall's second level.
Medical personnel who were summoned to the scene provided the security officer with treatment before he was transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital.
Jenkins said the report indicated the security officer was punched and kicked in the face that led to swelling. The security officer reported to police that he believed he was knocked unconscious in the incident.
Two juveniles were later located inside the mall and arrested.
A 15-year-old male was arrested for aggravated battery, mob action and disorderly conduct.
A 15-year-old female was arrested for obstruction of justice for interfering with the arrest of the other teen.
Jenkins said both teens were taken to the SPD station where they were processed. They were screened through the Sangamon County Juvenile Detention Center. Neither met the number of points to be detained, so they were released to family members, Jenkins said.
Several employees exiting the mall, but not authorized to speak on the record, said stores closed early Saturday because of the incident.
The normal closing time is 8 p.m. on Saturday.
Other businesses on the outer rim of the mall, like Malibu Jack's and Cooper's Hawk, continued to operate. Malibu Jack's had an off-duty SPD officer working there at the time.
A mall manager did not immediately return a phone call from The State Journal-Register Saturday. Simon Property Group operates the mall.
Springfield Ald. Brad Carlson, whose ward covers the mall, said he had a conversation with SPD Chief Ken Scarlette two to three months ago about the possible re-opening of the police substation in the mall. The substation was vacated some time ago after opening in 1998, according to SJ-R files.
Carlson said that conversation was in light of the opening of Malibu Jack's, District 186's Springfield Learning Academy and Lawrence Education Center moving to the mall under the moniker Simon Youth School and the eventual arrival of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency employees who are being relocated from the North Grand Avenue offices.
He brought up the issue at Wednesday's committee of the whole meeting.
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"It's timely in that we're going through the budget process right now," said Carlson, reached Sunday. "We have to look what we can do, but I think the mall is going to have to be part of the conversation as well. I want to get that conversation going."
A resident, Carlson said, professed to him hesitancy about going to the mall now in light of the two incidents.
"One of the top priorities of government is protection of citizens at all levels," maintained Carlson. "That's how I see it. We have to do something now."
This story will be updated.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Two juveniles arrested after battering a Springfield mall officer
