posted March 12, 2007
Chattanooga Police said Coolidge Park had to be temporarily closed on Friday afternoon due to a large group of unruly youth.
Police said 100-200 youths skipped school and converged on the park in the early afternoon.
Officers said they overran the park so that some people with small children became upset and feared for their safety.
The youths began throwing eggs and balloons at people, the report said.
Police said as officers began to arrive on the scene, the group became even more rowdy. One of the youths was taken into custody.
The park reopened later Friday.
Police Chief Freeman Cooper released this statement on Monday afternoon, "It appeared to be a group of seniors from several different high schools skipping class having a balloon fight. When the police got there and told them to leave they cleared the park within minutes.
"One student was taken into custody for throwing eggs at the other students even after police asked him to stop.
"While we don't condone their skipping school or their choice of activity, it looked like they were there to enjoy the spring-like weather and have some harmless fun. Unfortunately, their great idea became very popular and some 200 kids showed up to throw water balloons."
At Hamlet Chapel Church at 2510 Cowart St., the central heating and air conditioning unit was found broken down.
Police said the thieves were after the copper in the unit that was attached to the church.
At Copytex at 4009 Tennessee Ave. in St. Elmo, thieves got in through an open window.
They stole an office computer and an XBox and Game Cube game.
At a house on Wilder Street, an extremely quiet burglar apparently moved easily among a houseful of sound sleepers.
Ericka Williams said she was sleeping in her bed, her daughter was in her bedroom, her son in his bedroom and her boyfriend Marcus High on the couch when someone got inside while they were all asleep.
She said it was found that a window in the daughter's room had been broken and forced open.
The intruder got $100 and a pack of cigarettes off the kitchen counter.
She said the slick burglar took the boyfriend's shorts and wallet into the son's bedroom. They were found spread out there.
Ms. Williams said, "No one heard any unusual noises."
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