Teen takeovers draw arrests and police response

Driving the news: Police arrested five adults and cited four juveniles after a fight broke out in Market Square at 9:15pm Friday night in the middle of a gathering of several hundred teens, according to Pittsburgh Police.

• Police said officers used pepper spray to break up the fight and three firearms were confiscated.
• Last Wednesday night, fights were broken up, and police used pepper spray in a gathering of nearly 400 teens in East Liberty, police told TribLive. No arrests were made.

Zoom in: The five adults arrested Friday face various charges including aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of a controlled substance, per police.

• The four teens were cited with disorderly conduct.

Zoom out: Cities across the nation like Chicago, Columbus and Washington, D.C. are dealing with disruptive "teen takeover" events.

State of play: Cities like Pittsburgh have responded to "teen takeovers" with curfew policies, although research shows they aren't effective.

The bottom line: The gatherings come as teens face a decline of malls, fewer cheap hangout spots and less welcoming public spaces.