A Tennessee mini-golf center was severely damaged after hundreds of teenagers started destroying the establishment because they did not issue refunds, police said.
According to a police report, the company said parents just dropped off their children and left 300 to 400 teenagers at the center, causing the business to be in violation of COVID-19 social distancing rules,
FOX8 reported.
The business—the Golf and Games Family Park off Summer Avenue in Memphis—then said it would close down due to overcrowding. Employees said they would not issue a refund, after which the teens began ransacking the establishment.
Videos of the incident were uploaded on social media, allegedly showing the teenagers damaging property. The video mostly focuses on an African American girl who is seen tearing apart a plexiglass divider and throwing objects over the counter.
The center said that all minors have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian from now on.
“Unfortunately, yesterday evening we had an incident that we have never experienced in 57 years of business. Parents chose to leave large groups of teenagers at our facility without their supervision,"
a statement from the center read. "Some of those people chose to create a disturbance the likes of which we have never seen. We are very thankful that none of our Golf and Games family or customers were injured during this situation."
The center added: "We are actively trying to identify those involved and hold them accountable for their actions. Going forward, any minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Anyone that is left unattended will be asked to leave. We have been the Memphis area’s locally owned place for family entertainment for nearly six decades. We will always welcome those who choose to share their family experiences with us. Please understand this is not a reflection of us or our park. We look forward to serving you soon.”
Lt. Karen Rudolph, a spokeswoman for the Memphis Police Department,
told news outlets that between 300 and 400 teens had gathered at the center.
The center was able to reopen again on Sunday, according to the report.
The Memphis Police Department told
TMZ that one juvenile summons was written for a 13-year-old boy for disorderly conduct. An investigation is ongoing.
