Group of juveniles throws fireworks at traffic, damaging unmarked Calif. patrol car

The group threw several fireworks and Molotov cocktails at oncoming traffic before being detained by Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department deputies

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Unmarked sheriff’s vehicle damaged after juveniles throw fireworks at drivers in Sacramento County — The group, which at one point rose to about 20 to 30 juveniles, was also spotted at Olive Grove Elementary School , near Firestone Park , according to archived audio dispatch calls reviewed by The Sacramento Bee .

By Ishani Desai
The Sacramento Bee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A juvenile was arrested and several minors were detained on the Fourth of July after the group threw fireworks and Molotov cocktails at oncoming traffic in Antelope near parks and schools, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

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Deputies were called about 9 a.m. Thursday to homes near Antelope Crossing Middle School, near Tetotom Park, for reports of a “large group of unsupervised” children lighting aerial fireworks, the Sheriff’s Office said online.

The group, which at one point rose to about 20 to 30 juveniles, was also spotted at Olive Grove Elementary School, near Firestone Park, according to archived audio dispatch calls reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

The group of children fled the area when deputies arrived to break up the crowd. One juvenile found to be carrying a handgun was arrested, deputies said.

During the incident, a juvenile set off a mortar underneath an unmarked sheriff’s vehicle that caused “significant damage,” deputies said. No one was injured.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 916-874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at 916-443-4357. Callers, who may be eligible for a $1,000 cash reward, can remain anonymous at sacsheriff.com or by calling 916-874-8477.

While most everyone celebrated Independence Day responsibly with family and friends, a large group of unsupervised juveniles took to the streets in a residential neighborhood by a park and schools near Heartland Drive and Teotom Park Way in Antelope. They reportedly set off… pic.twitter.com/v6rrcDC9u4
— Sacramento Sheriff (@sacsheriff) July 5, 2024

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