Police say a holiday charity event turned into a brawl involving more than 1,000 people at the Radisson Hotel near Los Angeles International Airport on Monday. According to police, no one was seriously hurt or hospitalized, and no arrests were made.
The incident broke out just before 1 a.m. at the hotel on West Century Boulevard. The hotel was the site of a Kappa Khristmas Jam & Toy Drive, a charity Christmas party and step show hosted by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Police say the fight began as an isolated incident in a second-floor ballroom and initially involved 25 people. As other guests tried to stop the fight, it incited more violence, police said. At its peak, the fight involved more than 1,000 people, police said.
Johnathan Paz claimed he was in the thick of things when the fight started between two guys.
“I guess he saw his ex-girlfriend and he saw her with another guy. Once those two started fighting, his whole crew came and his whole crew came. From then, it was just chaos. Everybody just went off,” said Paz.
Michael Solomon, a concerned father, said his son was assaulted and needed six stitches.
“I’m just appalled. It’s supposed to be a brotherhood, and for something to take place like this is totally unacceptable,” Solomon said.
According to hotel management, the fight broke out between two different fraternities. Police said everything from fists, tables and chairs were thrown. Some witnesses said fights occurred on several floors of the hotel. They also said police used pepper spray on the crowds.
“It was pretty bad. The whole party was engulfed in pepper spray. You could feel it in your lungs,” said one witness.
Authorities say the pepper spray was used when the partygoers refused to cooperate.
Police estimated there were about 1,500 people in attendance. According to an event flyer, alcohol was served.
