BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      The day after Christmas, Boardman police responded to reports of fights at the Southern Park Mall during a 75-minute span, between 5:45 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
      Four teenagers were eventually arrested by police, who said other combatants fled on foot.
      The string of fights began about 5:45 p.m. as three Boardman police officers and a Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department deputy were escorting a large group (50 persons including juveniles and adults) out of the mall.
      “As we escorted the subjects outside, we observed a large circle form around two juveniles (girls) who were fighting outside of the mall, near the Steel Valley Brew Works,” Ptl. Joe Lamping said, adding the girls were “grabbing each other’s hair and striking one another in the torso and upper body and face.”
      Despite being told by law enforcement to stop, the girls continued their fight, until they were pepper-sprayed by police.
      One girl walked away from police and sat on the ground, and another fled on foot until caught by police and placed in handcuffs.
      Caleyah Renee Jones, 14, of 2775 Hammaker Ave., Youngstown, Oh., claimed several individuals had approached her, saying they planned to fight her. Another person, whom police did not name, said that Jones struck a girl in the face.
      Jones was arrested and charged with assault, disorderly conduct, obstruction and resisting arrest, then released to the custody of her mother, Melissa Robinson.
      About the same time, BPD Ptl. Brian Moss said as authorities were trying to escort people out of the mall, an 18-year-old boy who was ordered to stay out of the mall, attempted to re-enter. When confronted, the boy hit Officer Moss in the left arm, and when advised he was under arrest, began to flee on foot. He ended his flight in the parking lot of the former Dillard’s, where he was arrested and placed into a police cruiser.
      Kadyn Shelton, 18, of 46 Shields Rd., was charged with assaulting a police officer, obstruction and resisting arrest and taken to the Mahoning County Jail.
      Then, near 6:30 p.m., police said there was another ‘large juvenile fight’ (25-30 people) in the parking lot of the mall, near Chili’s, “all of whom appeared to be taking fighting stances and beginning to engage in a fight,” Ptl. Mike Dado said.
      Four police officers attempted to get the juveniles to disperse, but according to Ptl. Angelo Pasquale “they disregarded us and began fighting.”
      As police were arresting one teen girl and taking her to a police cruiser, another fight began involving two more females began. In this confrontation, police used pepper spray in an effort to separate the combatants.
      Iya Hurdle, 14, of 22 Manchester Ave., Youngstown, Oh. and Laila Joi Paige, 15, of 757 Wilbur Ave., Youngstown, Oh., were charged with disorderly conduct. Both were released to the custody of their mothers.