On Friday night, dozens of teens descended on Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa. They stood in a makeshift mosh pit, filming and brawling as police cruisers closed in.<\/p>\n
Then, they scattered, according to body camera footage.<\/p>\n
Tampa police arrested 22 people,<\/a> mostly boys younger than 18, on charges including affray, drug possession and resisting law enforcement. Thirteen were 15 or younger.<\/p>\n One 20-year-old was arrested on a charge of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Police seized at least two guns and a vehicle.<\/p>\n Police say the gathering was part of a nationwide trend known as \u201cteen takeovers,\u201d where young people circulate plans on social media to gather en masse in public spaces.<\/p>\n As city officials ponder how to curb future takeovers, some residents have expressed concern about how lack of parental supervision plays a role. Others wonder if the city provides enough youth programming to prevent teenagers from wanting to organize in the first place.<\/p>\n \u2018Follow the pack\u2019<\/p>\n A cornerstone of being a teen in America is having places to connect with peers, said Dr. Kristin Edwards, founder of Tampa Pediatric Psychology.<\/p>\n But when large groups gather, it\u2019s easy for things to get out of hand, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom their perspective, they probably think it\u2019s something fun to do,\u201d she said. \u201cWe know teenagers are naturally risk-taking and have always been rebellious. Poor impulse control is easily reinforced by each other.\u201d<\/p>\n From an adolescent development standpoint,she said,what transpired Friday seems to be \u201cnormal teen behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n Friday\u2019s takeover wasn\u2019t the first \u2014 or the largest.<\/p>\n On March 19, Hillsborough deputies arrested 11 people<\/a> after a crowd of about 100 teens amassed at Astro Skate in Brandon, according to WTSP-Ch. 10. Two days later, even more teens overwhelmed a Brandon trampoline park and its parking lot, leading to eight trespassing arrests.<\/p>\n And in late April, two deputies were hurt when more than 1,000 teenagers swarmed Orlando\u2019s popular Icon Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some cities, like Washington, D.C.,<\/a> and Charlotte, North Carolina,<\/a> have imposed curfews. Other cities like Detroit<\/a> have tried to bolster youth programming.<\/p>\n