Six detained after fight at Salute to America
Jefferson City authorities detained six juveniles late Thursday after a fight at the Salute to America festival celebrating Independence Day.
The Jefferson City Police Department said in a news release Friday that several juveniles were involved in a large fight in the 200 block of East Capitol Avenue. Three separate groups were fighting, the release said.
Officers tried to separate the fighters, but the task was made difficult by the large crowd interfering with police, according to the release. The crowd encircled the officers who were trying to break up the fight and some of them pushed officers, the release said. Police then used pepper spray on the fighters after warning the crowd, JCPD said.
The incident began when police patrolling the festival got a report of juveniles throwing fireworks onto people from a parking garage, JCPD said. Police broke up that group and then were told of the fight.
The juveniles were detained on suspicion of fighting in public and resisting arrest.
