(Image source: HVS Hotel Management)
BY EMILY SPAIN
You're watching multisource U.S. news analysis from Newsy.
On one of the biggest shopping days of the year, hundreds of people swarmed the Mall of America... fought each other... threw chairs... and shoved past shoppers. Finally, the brawl ended with nine of them in cuffs.
The event has been dubbed a “moving melee” and many described it as a “smash and grab” flash mob. Cell phone cameras caught a group of 50 youngin’s -- ages 10 to 16 -- fighting in the food court where it all started according to police.
Some sources credit the rappers Lil’ Wayne and Drake for the full-out fight at the mall. According to Gather, it all started because it had been rumored the two were shopping there and fans came running.
“Apparently, the rumor that Lil Wayne and Drake were shopping sent fans into a frenzy... It's not clear why the fans were fighting. It isn't like they were vying for the attention of Weezy because he wasn't even there. Neither was Drake, who was last seen in Los Angeles.”
CNN found the mall tried to put this rumor to rest via social media when it sent out these tweets telling shoppers --
“Drake is not here.”
“There is no scheduled appearance for either performer.”
Patch in Lakeville reports the big brawl shook up shoppers who witnessed the scene so much -- some are even afraid to go back. One shopper told Patch:
"I've never seen anything like it. My daughter was pretty shaken. Like, she doesn't want to go back, shaken... I know it's an isolated incident, I mean, it doesn't happen every day, but it was still kind of scary. Those kids ... they could have done anything they wanted. There were so many of them."
Whatever the reason for the fight - mall officials are currently reviewing their security efforts.
Transcript by Newsy.
