ATLANTA — Hundreds of thousands of metro Atlanta students are on spring break this week, and Gwinnett County police are warning families that teen takeovers and violence will not be tolerated.
The warning comes as metro city leaders work to find students other safe outlets, Channel 2’s Brittany Kleinpeter reported during Channel 2 Action News This Morning.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced last week that he’s dedicated to creating safe after-school spaces for students.
This comes as Gwinnett County police released police bodycam video during last weekend’s teen takeover.
The video shows how unruly the gatherings can turn.
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Gwinnett police said 9 people were arrested and one teen was injured during the planned teen takeover.
The incident is part of a growing pattern of similar gatherings across metro Atlanta in recent weeks.
In response, Dickens announced the “So ATL” initiative on Thursday, which will include creating a third space for students to gather.
“The third space would be a very cool place for teens. A mix of a teen club with no alcohol, an arcade, or something like we have here with our rec centers,” Dickens said.
More than eight metro school districts are on spring break this week.
The Gwinnett Police Department is urging parents to know where their children are, who they’re with, and how easily situations can escalate.