Aurora – Aurora’s police chief called a meeting Monday with community leaders to discuss a weekend fray at a teen skate night in which police formed a riot line outside the rink, shot pepper bullets to disperse a crowd and hit one teen with a baton.
Ultimately, one officer received cuts on his nose when a roller skate was hurled at his face, two teenage girls were arrested on assault charges and Skate City’s hip-hop night was canceled.
In the wake of Saturday’s incident, Chief Dan Oates convened members of the city’s Key Community Response Team, a citizens group that provides feedback on racial issues. He wanted to explain what happened and to ask for “guidance for the department as we proceed forward.”
Members of the volunteer group – mostly pastors – asked police to hold a hip-hop skate night to bring police and youth together. “It’s all about building relationships,” said the Rev. Larry Brown. “That is the key.”
The incident began when an off-duty officer working security at the rink tried to oust a girl. Police reports say the officer was attacked, punched and hit in the face with a roller skate. He called for help over the police radio.
Police say more than 40 other officers responded. After teens were booted from the rink, officers formed a “riot line” to block entry into the building. A boy stormed the line and was hit by a baton, said spokesman Detective Bob Friel. The two girls arrested, who are ages 14 and 13, are still in custody.
Oates said, “I have nothing to indicate the officers handled it incorrectly.”
But Ebony Watson, the stepmother of one girl, said police hurt the girls, sent them to the hospital and overreacted.
