Summit Mall closed 30 minutes ahead of schedule Thursday evening due to a rise in disorderly behavior involving unsupervised juveniles, according to the Fairlawn Police Department.
The mall, which shut its doors at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, is no stranger to similar incidents, prompting local law enforcement to prepare for such occurrences. Officers from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Bath and Copley assisted Fairlawn police during the response.
Police emphasized that reports circulating online about gunfire, active shooters, or other violent acts at the mall were false. “Claims of gunfire, active shooters, or other violent acts being shared online are unfounded and irresponsible,” the department stated in a Facebook post.
Authorities confirmed that the disturbances, which included general disorder and minor altercations among juveniles, did not escalate into serious incidents.
The closure occurred while many students remain on winter break, adding to the mall’s seasonal traffic.
