Raleigh ‘teen takeovers’ leave 9 injured, dozens arrested during night of chaos
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- Nine people were injured over the July Fourth holiday weekend.
- Police say at least 3,000 teens were at Brier Creek and 5,000 at Glenwood South.
- No arrests reported by Sunday night and police are asking the public for information.
Nine people were injured in Raleigh over the July Fourth weekend as thousands of teens descended upon Brier Creek, then Glenwood South, in what Raleigh police described as a “teen takeover.”
In addition, police responded to a shooting on Capital Boulevard early Sunday morning in which two people were shot.
In a Sunday night statement, Raleigh police described massive scenes of chaos involving thousands of teens and numerous law enforcement agencies that took hours to “bring the situation under control.”
Among those hurt, two bystanders were injured, with one struck by gunfire while another was hit by shattered glass during the shooting.
None of the nine people hurt have life-threatening injuries, police said.
At least 24 people between the ages of 18 and 24 were arrested in connection with the Glenwood South takeover, according to arrest records. Those individuals now face a total of over 40 charges including simple affray, resisting a public officer, carrying a concealed weapon and failing to disperse on command.
According to court records, one officer sustained a cut to his arm while attempting to disperse the crowd, leaving him bleeding.
“What happened across our city on the Fourth of July is both heartbreaking and unacceptable,” Police Chief Rico Boyce said in a statement.
Police say the melees were part of a teen takeover, a social media trend that has been seen across the country where teens show up after a location has been shared over social media or other messaging. Some takeovers have involved weapons, fights and a police response, according to a CNN report.
In Raleigh, the teen takeover occurred on a weekend that already had extra staffing due to the holiday and the late-night fireworks and festivities, police said. Raleigh police said at least 300 officers were on duty July 4 and early July 5.
What happened in Raleigh Brier Creek teen takeover?
Here is how Raleigh police describe the sequence of events that began Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning:
Police arrived around 10:30 p.m. at Brier Creek, a massive retail and residential area in the northwestern part of Raleigh that’s divided by Glenwood Avenue. They responded to reports of a fight near the movie theater and stores west of Glenwood Avenue in Brier Creek Commons shopping center.
Police say at least 3,000 teens were there as part of a takeover, and that after juveniles were removed from a store, “a large fight erupted outside,” according to the release.
Gunshots were fired, and the first two bystanders were injured, police said. A juvenile with a handgun was detained, police said, but police say the teen wasn’t responsible for the shooting.
What happened on Glenwood South?
Police say 5,000 people — teens who had reassembled after dispersing from Brier Creek — were involved in the takeover on Glenwood South, the southern part of Glenwood Avenue between Peace and Hillsborough streets.
Police say they responded to shootings in the nightlife district around 1:35 a.m. in two locations on Glenwood Avenue and two on adjacent streets.
The shootings there occurred at 1:34 a.m., 2:05 a.m., 2:30 a.m. and 3:26 a.m.
Police have identified six people who were injured, including some who arrived at hospitals on their own.
Law enforcement from the following agencies helped bring the situation under control: Knightdale Police Department, Zebulon Police Department, Cary Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
Youth curfew could be ‘one approach’ to solving violence, mayor says
On Monday, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell said city officials plan to explore possible solutions to youth violence at a City Council meeting on Tuesday. She said a youth curfew could be a possible strategy, a step other cities across the country and within the state have taken to combat juvenile violence.
“Clearly Raleigh is not exempt from the incidents of youth violence that are occurring across the country, she wrote. “We need to talk with the youth, their parents, schools and the broader community to understand the root causes and to better coordinate strategies. One approach may be a youth curfew for those 17 years and under, which other cities in North Carolina have implemented.”
Cowell, Raleigh City Manager Marchell Adams-David and Police Chief Rico Boyce plan to discuss the weekend incident further during a press conference Tuesday.
And during a meeting with county commissioners on Monday, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said a youth curfew is something she could decide to recommend to the City Council, but she’s reserving judgment until she’s briefed by police on the incidents. Ultimately authority for a curfew remains with the council, she said.
What happened at 850 Capital Blvd.
Police also responded to a fight at a gas station on Capital Boulevard at 4:28 a.m. Sunday.
An unknown subject involved in the fight shot two people, both of whom were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a news release.
Police haven’t said whether this incident is connected to the teen takeovers. The investigation is ongoing.
Police are asking for information related to the incidents by calling 919-996-1315.
“We remain committed to identifying those responsible, holding them accountable, and working alongside our community to prevent this from happening again,” Boyce said.
Reporters Faith Wardwell and Nolan Wilkinson contributed to this story.
This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 11:44 PM with the headline "Raleigh ‘teen takeovers’ leave 9 injured, dozens arrested during night of chaos."