Raleigh, North Carolina, officials are considering new restrictions for young people after a turbulent Independence Day weekend marked by shootings, large teen gatherings and multiple fights. The unrest unfolded as similar youth-led “takeover” incidents were reported in cities across the country, with nine people shot in Raleigh during the holiday chaos.
In the aftermath, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell told WRAL News that she is evaluating whether the city should adopt a curfew for minors age 17 and younger.
“As Mayor, I am grateful for the actions of the Raleigh Police officers in response to the situations of juvenile violence across the city on the night of July 4 and the morning of July 5,” Cowell told the outlet. “Clearly, Raleigh is not exempt from the incidents of youth violence that are occurring across the country. We need to talk with the youth, their parents, schools, and the broader community to understand the root causes and to better coordinate strategies.”
Cowell said one possible response could be a youth curfew applying to residents 17 and under, noting that other North Carolina municipalities have already put similar measures in place.
The mayor added that city officials are reviewing “many approaches,” with the issue expected to come up during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Fox News Digital has contacted Cowell’s office for comment.
According to the Raleigh Police Department, roughly 5,000 teenagers gathered in Brier Creek and another 5,000 assembled in Glenwood South. Police said about half of those involved came from outside Raleigh.
Officers were first called to the area shortly after 10:05 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fight near a movie theater and surrounding businesses.
The incident stemmed from a “teen takeover,” a social media-driven phenomenon where massive crowds of youths coordinate to suddenly congregate at public spaces like beaches, malls, or restaurants.
A large fight broke out, followed by gunshots. One adult was shot and another was injured by shattered glass caused by the shooting, police said.
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A juvenile was found with a gun and detained, but investigators don’t believe the teen was one of the shooters.
Hours later, at 1:35 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to multiple shootings.
Six people were shot but were expected to survive.
At around 4:30 a.m., two people were shot following a fight at a gas station, police said.
They were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests were made.
Investigations into the shootings are ongoing, police said.
In a Monday post on X, Cowell called teen takeovers a “disturbing national trend.”
“Now in #raleighnc. Grateful to @raleighpolice for bringing back order & protecting public. @raleighgov & whole community have work ahead to engage with youth to prevent future occurrences,” she wrote.
An Instagram post from Milk Bar, a bar in the Glenwood South area, said the actions of a few ruined the peace for patrons in the area.
“While we had zero safety incidents inside Milk Bar, we made the proactive decision alongside other businesses to close our doors, to protect our patrons and staff from the surrounding unrest,” the post states. “Gun violence and reckless behavior have no place in our nightlife scene. WE CAN DO BETTER, RALEIGH!”
