Videos of fighting at Skateland of Augusta on Saturday night are spreading across social media, showing chaos and a large law enforcement response.
Many parents say the fighting is a result of children being dropped off and unmonitored at the Windsor Spring Road complex.
“This is sad, but parents need to stop dropping the kids off and just leave them there alone because they don’t know how to act in public,” said Giselle Newmans. “Then they get mad or try to say is a race thing when police take actions. But look how y’all kids be acting.”
Videos taken outside Skateland show multiple sheriff’s cars, with one parent reporting that several juveniles were in the back of patrol cars.
On Sunday, Public Information Officer Sgt. John Perry said he had no information to provide on his agency’s response or arrests. “I’ve received no information. If I do, I’ll let you know,” the RCSO sergeant said in an email.
A manager who answered the phone Sunday said they were operating on a normal schedule with beefed up security. A New Year’s Eve session was scheduled from 7 p.m. – 1 a.m., she said. Asked about the arrests and what happened, the supervisor said, “You seen what I seen.” She then hung up.
Videos of the violence shared by “Pinky Berry” were being shared by hundreds of people, showing officers struggling to maintain control and stop the fighting. Young people are seen jumping over the counter where skates are given out. Online, the debate centered around the reason for the fighting.
“That was my niece they jumped,” Michelle Harris said. “If anyone have any info on the little girl that hit her with the skate, please inbox me.”
Precious Darby Gunter said, “They go there just to fight! The amusement parks and everything like that is their stepping stones to do this.”
