TEEN VIOLENCE: After-school fight erupts outside West Farms McDonald’s
Video from the Citizen app shows dozens of teens flooding East Tremont Avenue, temporarily blocking traffic as punches were thrown. The situation escalated quickly before ending with an ambulance arriving on the scene.
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A fight broke out outside a McDonald’s in West Farms less than an hour after the final school bell rang, spilling into a busy intersection and drawing a large crowd of teenagers.
Video from the Citizen app shows dozens of teens flooding East Tremont Avenue, temporarily blocking traffic as punches were thrown. The situation escalated quickly before ending with an ambulance arriving on the scene.
“Instead of getting into fights, there is better things to do,” Fran said, while leaving the fast-food place. “Help your family, get a job or something.”
The incident is the latest in a string of troubling encounters involving teenagers in the area.
Just last week, three teens were slashed and robbed on a 2 train near Parkchester. Police sources say investigators are searching for eight suspects, including a 17-year-old, who were caught on surveillance video.
In a separate case, also in West Farms, two 15-year-old boys were shot—one of them in the head. Despite the severity of his injuries, the victim is now in stable condition. Police are still searching for the gunman.
Parents in the neighborhood say the recent violence is leaving them on edge.
“It’s dangerous. It makes you feel scared to be out here sometimes,” one father said. “At certain times, you don’t want to be outside your house.”
A nearby deli owner believes more direct intervention could help prevent future incidents, especially with spring break just days away.
“They need to just talk to the kids,” he said. “Find out what’s going on. Why are you like this? You OK? What’s bothering you?”
But with spring break approaching, neighbors tell News 12 they're only anticipating the teen brawls to grow with the temperatures.
