More Than 50 Youths Charged Over Massive Brawl At ‘The Sweetest Place On Earth’

More than 50 kids and teens are facing criminal charges after a massive opening-day brawl at Hersheypark, a Pennsylvania amusement park, that sent terrified families scrambling for cover and forced the shutdown of at least one ride.

The Derry Township Police Department announced Monday that 55 people, ages 12 to 19, have been identified and charged in connection with the April 3 chaos. The group includes three adults and dozens of juveniles accused of offenses ranging from disorderly conduct and simple assault to aggravated assault, riot, conspiracy, and theft. 

According to witnesses, multiple fights erupted throughout the Pennsylvania amusement park, with some families shielding their children and taking cover under tables in the food court area as dozens of teens exchanged punches.

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Video circulating online appears to show another brawl breaking out near a roller coaster, forcing staffers to temporarily shut down the Skyrush ride.

“These actions caused serious inconvenience to Hersheypark staff and patrons of the park. This caused an emergency stop to the Skyrush ride,” officers said, according to the New York Post.

Police said the disturbance began around 6:50 p.m. near the Trailblazer roller coaster, where two groups were involved in a verbal altercation before the confrontation escalated into a larger melee. Police were dispatched to assist security in separating the fighting groups.

But the chaos didn’t end there.

Authorities said participants later moved to the food court area, where another fight broke out. Witnesses estimated that between 50 and 60 teens were involved. 

Some participants were escorted out of the park through a side gate, but police said they later returned to the main entrance, where another confrontation erupted around 7:30 p.m.

The investigation took around three months as police reviewed extensive video evidence gathered from witnesses, security footage, and social media posts.

Among those charged as adults were Omar Ibrahim, 19, Jerome Ross III, 18, and Quaneek Williams, 18. PennLive reported that Ibrahim and Ross were charged in connection with the alleged theft of a one-day admittance wristband from a minor. Williams was charged with one felony and four misdemeanors.

No arrests have been made as of Tuesday night. Preliminary hearings for the three adult defendants are scheduled for July 7. 

Hersheypark said the individuals involved were quickly removed from the property.

“There was an altercation between a group of teenagers in Hersheypark the evening of Friday, April 3,” the park said in a statement. “Police responded to assist Park security in swiftly addressing the situation and removing those involved from the Park. As safety is our top priority, Hersheypark has a zero tolerance policy for behavior of this type. Those who do not abide by our policy will no longer be welcome on our property.”

While Hersheypark does not currently enforce a chaperone policy for minors, the park implemented a new photo verification process for same-day re-entry following the opening-day disruption.

Under the policy, guests who leave the park and later return must have their photo verified against an image taken during their initial exit.

“This process helps ensure that admission is used only by the original ticket holder for same-day re-entry,” a park spokesperson said.