|
Yesterday at approximately 9:28 p.m., officers responded to the 3300 block of West Moore Street following reports of an extremely large crowd gathered inside and outside a local restaurant.
Upon arrival, officers encountered a large crowd outside the business, making it difficult to safely access the building and assess conditions inside. Due to the number of patrons both inside and outside the establishment, officers requested assistance from the Richmond Fire Marshal to evaluate the safety of the venue.
While awaiting the Fire Marshal's arrival, security personnel directed officers to a disorderly adult male. The individual refused to comply with officers' lawful commands and was taken into custody without incident. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
As additional fights began to break out among the crowd outside the restaurant, officers requested additional officers to help restore order. Due to the escalating disorder and the size of the crowd, officers deployed department-issued foggers outside the restaurant to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. No injuries have been reported at this time.
At no point did officers deploy the fogger inside the establishment.
Police Chief Rick Edwards stated, "We're proud to see our community come together to celebrate the World Cup. While the vast majority of those in attendance celebrated responsibly, officers acted quickly and in accordance with department policy when isolated incidents threatened public safety. We remain committed to ensuring Richmond is a safe place for everyone to celebrate."
Richmond Fire Chief Jeffrey Segal stated, “ The safety of our community is always our top priority and when conditions become unsafe, we will always take the necessary steps to protect the public. I want to thank our firefighters, fire marshal’s office personnel, and the Richmond Police Department for their professionalism and swift response to this incident.”
| 
