Three teenage boys have been arrested in Washington for their involvement in a viral brawl at a Chipotle restaurant in the Navy Yard neighborhood last month.
Two 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old were charged with simple assault and affray this week, the Metropolitan Police Department announced Thursday. Two were from the District of Columbia, and one was from Maryland.
An affray is defined as two or more people fighting in a public place that disturbs the public peace and alarms bystanders witnessing the altercation. The May 16 fight has been determined to fit that description.
Multiple teenagers broke out into a chair-throwing brawl while Chipotle patrons watched the violent event, which quickly became viral on social media. Both groups of juveniles that attacked each other fled before police arrived. No injuries were reported at the time.
The MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office are looking for an additional suspect who has not been apprehended yet. A photo of the unknown suspect was released Thursday.
Shortly after the incident, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro threatened to prosecute parents of teenagers involved in violent “teen takeovers.” If they failed to supervise their children, the parents could face jail time and $500 fines.
Teen takeovers, primarily in Navy Yard, have become more of a problem in the district over the past few months. Mayor Muriel Bowser has tried to combat the problem with limited emergency juvenile curfews, but a permanent solution has not taken hold yet.
BOWSER CALLS OUT MAYORAL HOPEFUL JANEESE LEWIS GEORGE FOR GAP IN TEEN CURFEW ENFORCEMENT
The D.C. Council passed a long-term curfew in May before the Chipotle brawl, but that measure is set to take effect on July 16 following a mandatory 30-day congressional review period. The last emergency order that Bowser signed to implement a temporary citywide curfew expired Saturday. The council refused to extend the emergency order through legislation.
The roughly six-week lapse in enforcement of teen takeovers comes as Washington prepares for numerous visitors ahead of America’s 250th birthday.