SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego Police officers used pepper spray on a crowd when things got out of control following multiple fights and injuries as the bars let out in downtown San Diego early Sunday.

Police are setting the record straight after videos have been circulating on social media showing crowds of people getting pepper sprayed by San Diego Police officers.

It all began at 2 a.m. Sunday when the bars let out.

San Diego Police report officers in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego saw a large fight break out at 5th Avenue and F Street that had taken over the intersection and sidewalk and sprayed pepper spray in an attempt to stop the fighting.

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During this, officers saw a man repeatedly punching and kicking another man in the face and head until he was unconscious. Police say officers tried to use a Taser on him, but he ran from the area before officers caught up with him a short time later and arrested him on felony battery charges.

While police officers were giving medical aid to the unconscious person, another fight broke out nearby and officers were overwhelmed due to a lack of resources, the police department reports.

The situation continued to escalate after the crowd reportedly turned its attention toward the nearby officers and a man refused to back away and started interfering with the medical aid officers were still giving to the unconscious person.

While officers were attempting to arrest the person interfering, he began fighting them, prompting police to call for a “cover now,” which is a high-priority emergency radio call for urgent backup.

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Another man then walked up to the perimeter where officers were still giving medical aid to the unconscious person and also tried to interfere, slapping an officers hand away as they were directing him to walk around, the police department reports. As that officer sprayed him with pepper spray, he is accused of charging and tackling the officer while swinging his arms. Another officer tased the man before arresting him for assault on an officer.

Because of the size of the crowd in the streets and the vehicle congestion, medics and backup police officers were unable to immediately reach the location. The officers at the scene had to direct traffic so the emergency vehicles could get through.

During this, the police department reports several people from the crowd attempted to rush at and assault the officers that were still holding a perimeter, leading them to pepper spray multiple people.

One person is accused of throwing a metal can that hit an officer from deep inside the crowd, but they were not arrested due to the lack of resources, according to police.

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Sometime during the fights, a woman was stabbed in the face. She went up to officers to report a large laceration and puncture wound to her face. A police report was later filed.

San Diego Police say because of a lack of resources, police were not able to respond to several other fights in the Gaslamp that were called over the radio.

Once backup police officers and medics arrived at the location, police say everyone that had been arrested were put into police vehicles, while the victims were put into separate police vehicles as they waited on additional medical attention.

Several crime reports for felony battery were filed after the fights, according to police, which said there are also several ongoing criminal investigations stemming from this.

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