More than 70 minors were apprehended at SouthBay Pavilion Mall on Saturday evening following an incident involving hundreds of juveniles, according to authorities. Two youths were arrested for allegedly throwing fireworks at police during the disturbance.

Deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s Carson station were dispatched to the mall at 20700 Avalon Blvd. on Saturday afternoon, reported Sgt. K. Ay.

A crowd had gathered and a trash can was set on fire outside the mall, said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Tracy Koerner. When deputies arrived, the youths fled into the mall, nearby strip mall, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Koerner noted that some teens engaged in sporadic thefts of minor items as they ran through the mall.

In a social media update later that Saturday, LASD stated that around 200 juveniles were involved in the disturbance, which also included illegal fireworks being set off inside a store at the mall.

“Carson deputies responded promptly and issued dispersal orders. The group did not comply, prompting assistance from nearby law enforcement agencies,” the statement read.

According to Ay, deputies spent approximately five hours persuading the youths to leave once they arrived.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Fulop stated that the 73 detained minors were given court appearance notices for failure to disperse. Additionally, two individuals were arrested by Torrance police on suspicion of assaulting a peace officer with a deadly weapon.

Fulop mentioned there was no further information available regarding the fireworks incident. Torrance police indicated they were unable to immediately respond to inquiries about whether the fireworks were ignited when thrown, or details about their type and size.

The Sheriff’s Department emphasized in a news release, “Criminal behavior of this kind disrupts our businesses and harms our community, and will not be tolerated. This incident will be thoroughly investigated, and we are committed to holding all responsible parties accountable.”

The disruption resulted in the mall closing early, as reported by KTLA. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Saturday’s disturbance occurred three months after law enforcement prepared for potential incidents of teen gatherings at Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance and SouthBay Pavilion. Previous concerns about similar gatherings did not materialize.

Anyone with information about Saturday’s disturbance is encouraged to contact the Carson Sheriff’s Station at 310-830-1123.