Zoolights Chaos: Video shows kids mob store near National Zoo, attack employees
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - New video shows the chaos near National Zoo on Saturday before two juveniles were shot. A group of young people mobbed an ice cream shop and assaulted the owners.
“There were like 50 people in the store, some as young as 10 or 12, some 20 (years old),” said Kevin McMahon, who owns FrozenYo on Connecticut Avenue, across from the zoo.
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His surveillance video shows dozens of juveniles walking into the shop, knocking over furniture and other items. McMahon said they were there to pick a fight with two girls. As he tried to get everyone out, he was assaulted and then a young child jumped on his back. As his wife, Carole, tried to help him, the boy punched her in the face with a closed fist.
“I didn’t know it-my wife came out of the kitchen and tried to pull him off my back,” said McMahon. “He punched her a couple times in the face and this girl punched my wife two, three, four times in the face.”
Carole had to get stitches and tells FOX 5 this was the scariest experience of her life.
The fight happened after some teens set off fireworks near National Zoo which people enjoying the annual ZooLights exhibit mistook for gunshots.
Not long after, there were real bullets flying and police said two juveniles were shot in two different locations near the zoo. Both are expected to survive. Police said no one’s been arrested for the shootings or the assaults.
On Monday, city leaders met with area businesses.
RELATED: National Zoo stepping up security after nearby shooting
“We had representatives from the zoo, zoo police, MPD, ANC commissioners, the mayor’s office,” said Yael Krigman, who owns the bakery next to FrozenYo.
She said despite what happened Saturday, she feels confident there won’t be a repeat.
RELATED: DC police say 2 teenagers were found suffering from gunshot wounds near National Zoo
“I felt like everybody was really taking this seriously and that it was an unfortunate but hopefully isolated incident,” said Krigman. “And I know they’re taking immediate measures to prevent this from happening in the future.”
Police are stepping up patrols, which were out on Monday night. The zoo is also using enhanced security measures.
RELATED: Fireworks sparked gunshot reports at National Zoo, DC police say
McMahon is not as convinced there won’t be a repeat. He said there were groups of unruly teens in the street a few hours before the fight in his shop and the shootings and believes police should have acted sooner.
“Do I have confidence this won’t happen again? Absolutely not,” he said.