Nearly 30 Arrested Over Violence Outside Skating Rink

(RepublicanView.org) – Police arrested over two dozen people after a brawl broke out in a parking lot in Brandon, Florida. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said its officers responded to a fight outside the Astro Skate facility on the evening of May 18 after calls from off-duty deputies. Authorities reported that there were around 400 people at the scene, and they struggled to determine who was involved in the unfolding violence and property damage, as well as which participants were adults and which were minors.

The incident unfolded after a party on the skating rink was canceled because the host failed to hire private security for the event. Some party attendees then reportedly took to social media to invite friends to the area to exact revenge against the venue, even though a full refund was issued. When groups turned up, off-duty deputies told them to disperse as they were disrupting business on private property.

Disorder erupted, however, with juveniles attacking a nearby barber’s shop and convenience store, causing hundreds of dollars in damage by smashing wine bottles. Police arrested 23 juveniles and six adults, but most were released soon afterward. Six suspects were charged, however, including 32-year-old Lekera Evans, 21-year-old Yazelynn Ramos, 20-year-old Malik Carter, 18-year-old Jadyn Sebro, 18-year-old Aliyah Alfonso, and 18-year-old Fareed Carter. All faced trespassing charges, but Ramos and Sebro incurred additional disorderly conduct charges, and Evans added resisting an officer’s orders without violence to her tally.

Sheriff Chad Chronister said the incident left him “outraged” and said such behavior would never be tolerated in Hillsborough County. He described the dangers his deputies face in such circumstances, as they are simultaneously presented with hazards from several directions. Video footage of the riots, posted to social media, showed that the individuals involved had “no regard for safety,” the Sheriff added. He thanked deputies for handling the “horrifying” situation quickly and professionally.