'We was bored!' Hundreds of teens rampage Bronx mall, tangle with cops in planned Presidents' Day 'takeover'

Hundreds of teens rampaged a Bronx shopping mall and tangled with police Monday on their day off from school — Presidents' Day.

News 12 reported that the planned "takeover" at the Mall at Bay Plaza commenced around 2 p.m.

'This is embarrassing. Bored? Read a book, invent something.'

Officers responded to reports of up to 200 teenagers being disorderly, WABC-TV reported.

"This is insane. I mean, I haven't seen it this bad ever," one neighbor, Keshana, told News 12.

The takeover spread throughout several businesses, including a McDonald's just outside the mall, News 12 said, adding that a window at the fast-food restaurant was shattered.

"A bunch of kids just came in here they were breaking everything," employee William Norman told News 12. "I was scared for my life, man. I got kids at home."

WABC reported that the teens appeared to challenge officers; the New York Post said some of them were "appearing to resist and fight the cops."

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Indeed, one clip posted to X shows officers trying to bring a fleeing male under control, but he escapes after his comrades appear to join his tangle with police. One officer appears to take a swing at one of the mob members.

A News 12 reporter asked a group of teens on camera for the reason behind their behavior, and several replied with laughter, "We was bored!"

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Authorities told News 12 that officers issued multiple warnings and ordered the large, disorderly group to disperse.

News 12 added that the takeover plan was shared on social media and that it was supposed to end after the teens were "kicked out."

A mall spokesperson told News 12 that the mall didn't close despite the chaotic event, which was "resolved quickly."

Eighteen were taken into custody, News 12 said. WABC reported that the exact charges are pending.

Commenters responding to News 12's video report didn't take kindly to the teens' actions — particularly their stated reason:

• "They were bored???" one commenter reacted. "God forbid they stay home and pick up a book to read or maybe study or do some chores."
• "This is embarrassing. Bored? Read a book, invent something," another commenter suggested.
• Bored? They have free wifi all over the place where you can be online for hours and yet still bored," another commenter argued.
• "They're not bored, they're bums because their parents are bums too," another commenter declared.
• "Bored? If they are bored, do something positive like [clean] up the neighborhood," another commenter offered.

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