Six Flags Great America

6 Arrested After ‘Disruptive Crowd' Fights, Pepper Spray Deployed at Six Flags: Police

Gurnee police said officers responded to the amusement park "to break up a fight and assist with crowd control" around 7:15 p.m. Monday

Six people were taken into custody at Six Flags Great America on Memorial Day after a "disruptive crowd" led police to deploy pepper spray, resulting in numerous injuries.

Gurnee police said officers responded to the amusement park around 7:15 p.m. Monday "to break up a fight and assist with crowd control."

"Witnesses claimed the fight started between two groups inside the park, near the front gates, and spread to the parking lot," police said in a release Tuesday. "Officers, already located at the park, quickly intervened to stop the large crowd fighting. Initial attempts to disperse the crowd were unsuccessful, prompting a Gurnee Officer to deploy OC Spray into the disruptive crowd."

As the fighting continued, police at the scene called for help from other departments in the area.

Ultimately, six people were taken into custody "for battering other patrons and police personnel," but charges were pending Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

The arrests included:

An 18-year-old from Zion, Illinois

A 16-year-old from North Chicago, Illinois

A 15-year-old from La Porte, Indiana

A 14-year-old from La Porte, Indiana

A 17-year-old from La Porte, Indiana

A 17-year-old from La Porte, Indiana

Police said three of those arrested were taken to Advocate Condell Hospital for minor injuries, but were released from the hospital that same night.

Four Gurnee officers also suffered minor injuries during the incident, the department said. Three received medical treatment at the park and one was taken to an area hospital, but was also released that same night.

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