Atlanta Mayor calls for safe hangouts and parents to help as teen takeovers rise across the city

"Teen takeovers" are leading to multiple arrests across metro Atlanta and the surrounding counties.

Now, government leaders are stepping in to try to stop them.

"Teen Takeover" has been labeled by leaders as an organized meet-up where large groups of teens and young adults flood a single location.

While some show up just to hang out, officials say these events are increasingly turning chaotic with fights, property damage, and in some cases arrests.

In Gwinnett County, police released body camera video that shows dozens of teens running through the Gwinnett County Mall on March 28 as officers move in, which led to the arrest of two adults and seven juveniles.

The video is a generally standard depiction of what teen takeovers have been looking like, also happening at Atlantic Station, the Battery, and the Beltline.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens says the city is working on a solution, meeting with teens directly, and investing $50K into what he's calling a "third space" for teens to safely hang out.

That could look like an arcade, a rec center, or even an alcohol-free club.

"To the teens, know your environment. Don't go somewhere you're unfamiliar with, thinking that this is just some fun," Mayor Dickens said. "You don't know if these other guys got another reason to be at this event where you could be caught in the crossfire, so we're providing safe spaces where we know you're gonna have a good time."

It's not just the city; local nonprofits are also stepping in and offering structured programs to keep kids safe this spring break.

Stone Mountain nonprofit Be Someone Inc. is holding a Teen Turnaround camp Apr. 6-10 to also engage teens in alternative solutions and activities such as chess.

Mayor Dickens is also calling on parents to step in and do their part, pay attention, and to know where their kids are.

"If you're dropping off your kid to a spot at midnight, you've broken the law," Dickens said. "You've introduced them to breaking the law, and that's just not good parenthood. We are doing all these things as the government, and as these nonprofit and, as these organizations, but the parents need to do the first part."

Eight jurisdictions in Atlanta are on spring break this week. Mayor Dickens said he met with all of them to discuss solutions.