Dozens of juveniles detained after a disturbance at a Carson shopping center

More than 70 juveniles were detained after a crowd grew unruly at a Carson shopping center Saturday evening, setting off fireworks and lighting a trash can on fire.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Carson station responded shortly before 7 p.m. to reports of a crowd of about 200, mostly juveniles, causing a disturbance at the SouthBay Pavilion mall.

“A trash can was lit on fire, and illegal fireworks were set off inside a retail store inside the mall,” the Sheriff’s Department posted on Instagram. “Carson deputies responded swiftly and issued dispersal orders. The group refused to comply, and surrounding law enforcement agencies responded to assist.”

The shopping center was closed, and deputies ordered the crowd to disperse. About 73 juveniles who failed to disperse were detained and issued citations that will require court appearances. said Sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Fulop. One adult was arrested, and several juveniles were taken to the Carson station and released to adults, Fulop said.

The mall’s management did not immediately respond to a phone call and email sent by The Times.

Fulop said he understood that the mall had a chaperone policy similar to the one instituted earlier this year by Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance in response to two brawls that occurred there last year.

Fulop said it did not appear the policy was being enforced.

“None of them that I am aware of had an adult chaperone,” he said. “It can be problematic at any venue like that. There are so many points of entry, and they can make their way into the various parts of the mall.”

The mall was finally cleared around midnight, Fulop said.

A spokesperson said in a statement that the Pavilion is “committed to enforcing its chaperon policy; however, when overrun by more than 200 juveniles our team was unable to enforce it at that time.”