N.C. Police Officer, Deputy Injured Breaking Up Brawling 'Mob' of Juveniles
By Mark Price
Source The Bradenton Herald
A police officer and sheriff’s deputy ended up in the hospital after they tried to quell a large brawl involving juveniles attending a town festival, according to investigators.
The fight erupted late in the day Saturday, May 17, at Salisbury’s popular Cheerwine Festival, which attracts as many as 50,000 people.
Salisbury Police officers and Rowan County deputies learned of a fight in progress and discovered as many as 10 juveniles attacking each other, the Salisbury Police Department reported in a news release.
“Law officers were able to stop the fight, but not before one officer ... and one Rowan County Sheriff’s Deputy sustained injuries,” police said.
“The Salisbury Police Officer was transported to Novant Hospital and diagnosed with a severe concussion. The Rowan County Deputy was transported to Novant Hospital and later hospitalized due to a fractured hip.”
The juveniles were detained, but the police department was “denied” secure custody orders to arrest them, police said. As a result, “the juveniles were then released to their parent(s),” police said.
An age range for the juveniles was not released, and police did not report why the custody orders for arrests were denied.
Rowan County Sheriff J. Travis Allen said the violence was caused by “a mob of uncontrolled and unsupervised minors” and he noted the hospitalized deputy “will most likely suffer with the results of this injury the rest of his life.”
“I am extremely angered and concerned that these (juveniles) were released from custody with no immediate consequences for their actions nor any regard for the safety of the community,” Allen said in a release.
“I am requesting that the North Carolina State Department of Juvenile Justice grant ‘secure custody orders’ on every minor involved in the incident. The City of Salisbury Police and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office should be granted the authority to re-arrest these individuals and hold them accountable for their actions.”
_____________
© 2025 The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.).
Visit www.bradenton.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
