Bellmawr carnival shut down after more than 400 juveniles, young adults cause chaos

BELLMAWR, N.J. - Carnival season has just begun, but a night of family fun in South Jersey was ruined when a large group took over, ending in juvenile arrests, injuries and property damage.

What we know:

A crowd of more than 200 juveniles and young adults started to gather at the annual St. Joachim Carnival in Bellmawr Saturday night.

Officers began to shut down the carnival about an hour later as that number grew to more than 400 people.

Over the next couple of hours, several fights broke out as the crowd ran through the carnival and nearby neighborhoods.

For their own protection, several businesses in the area were closed by responding officers.

Police say they received reports of a gun in the area, but did not hear any gunshots or find any evidence that a gun was fired.

The incident was declared under control by 11:30 p.m. as police took three juveniles into custody for disorderly conduct, criminal mischief and simple assault.

Dig deeper:

Police released the following incidents that resulted from the night of chaos:

• An elderly woman suffered a head injury after being knocked over. She was treated at a local hospital.
• A young juvenile suffered non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle.
• Several vehicles, street signs and business windows were damaged.

What they're saying:

"The lawless groups of unsupervised juveniles and young people ruined a great family-oriented event which has taken place every May to raise funds for the church," Bellmawr Police Chief William Perna said.