Chicago has seen multiple incidents in the last couple of months, including a Memorial Day weekend gathering involving 18-year-old Rashad Johnson, who has been charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder and other felonies after running over and hospitalizing five law enforcement officers.
In downtown Tampa, Florida, a large "takeover" on May 8 resulted in 22 arrests. In Washington, DC, families dove for cover at a Navy Yard Chipotle on May 16 when teenagers began throwing chairs and fighting inside the restaurant.
Chaotic scenes have also unfolded at a Georgia beach pier, a downtown Detroit entertainment district, and a Wisconsin shopping mall.
"These are not harmless gatherings. They are violent, and they are disruptive," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said after the footage of the Chipotle takeover went viral. "It was a takeover of a restaurant by individuals who felt that they could get away with it."
The trend accelerated in spring 2026, especially after February and March, when social media-organized "mall takeovers" started drawing national attention, and Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret.) of The Wounded Blue says it is the result of lax law enforcement.
"We've had years of no consequences for criminal conduct, allowing people to attack law enforcement, whitewashed and people not held accountable," he laments. "Taking responsibility seems to be a very minor part of the thought process."
Meanwhile, he says the responding officers would have been justified in using deadly force on several occasions.
"These officers who were run over and attacked by this driver who used his vehicle as a deadly weapon, they had every right to use deadly force and kill him," Sutton insists.
He also agrees with the judges who have threatened to hold the parents of the lawless teenagers responsible.
"Parents need to be held accountable for the conduct of their children if they are not being given the parental guidance that is required," Sutton says.
As summer approaches, law enforcement agencies and city leaders across the country warn that the viral trend shows little sign of slowing down. The New York Post reports that officials in several cities have responded with increased patrols, curfews, and mass arrests, while others are pushing for expanded youth programs and tougher accountability for parents whose children are caught participating in the chaos.
