Towson business owners, residents react after large crowd leads to 2 arrests

Towson business owners and residents are speaking out after a large crowd gathered near Towson Town Center Wednesday night, resulting in two arrests.

Area shop owners said they were not impacted by the crowd but hope the incident does not affect business in the community.

"When people see this and hear about this, they may say, 'Oh, I don't want to go to Towson,'" said Paul Rizas, owner of Holy Cow and Slice on the AVENUE. "But we want them to come to Towson."

Rizas said he has seen large crowds like that before near his shop and that they sometimes drive away business. He and other business owners want to remind residents and visitors that Towson is safe.

"We need people to stop being scared," said Patti Hall, owner of Bead Wear Jewelry Boutique.

Tramaine Washington, who is staying in Towson for the time being, said he noticed a large group of people Wednesday night.

"We noticed that there was a loud crowd out last night," Washington said. "We just thought nothing of it."

Washington and Annie Galon said they were surprised to learn that the gathering led to multiple arrests.

"Sometimes, I'm out there at night and I don't know what I would do if I had seen people in the parking lot like that," Galon said.

Baltimore County Police said officers responded to the unit block of West Pennsylvania Avenue around 9:10 p.m. Wednesday for a reported disturbance.

Officers arrested two college-aged men after they left a nearby bar. Both were charged with disorderly conduct. Police did not report any injuries.

Surveillance video obtained by WJZ shows a large crowd gathered in a parking lot behind 22 West Pennsylvania Avenue Wednesday night.