Sacramento advocates demand change after minors cited in DOCO chaos

Child protection advocates are calling for change after a chaotic gathering of minors at Sacramento’s Downtown Commons on Friday night resulted in several citations and arrests. The Sacramento Police Department said 80 to 100 youths were “causing a ruckus and disturbance” at DOCO. Calls about the commotion first came in around 8:30 p.m. Friday. Police said a total of seven youths were cited and released to their parents: one for resisting and assaulting a peace officer, two for violating curfew and four for resisting/interfering. Police also said five officers were assaulted, three of whom sustained minor injuries. Sacramento Police sent KCRA 3 a statement regarding the incident and their actions: “Our officers made reasonable decisions despite being attacked by these minors who were running from them, causing a disturbance, etc. This behavior is unacceptable and fortunately none of our officers were seriously injured. “The SPD takes a firm stance on protecting our community through dedicated service.” Community advocate and Voice of the Youth founder Berry Accius said the activities at DOCO on Friday night were reminiscent of the youth “connections” in various locations in the Sacramento area that were prominent during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “They went to different malls all over the place and different locations in the city and county and just showed up, I mean, hundreds of kids with nothing to do,” Accius said. “This is dangerous. A lot of unruly youth, youth who are there to create chaos.” Although Accius works closely with children and teens through Voice of the Youth, he said community-based organizations like his have limited options. He added that real change must start at home, and young people’s families must be more proactive. “The biggest part of the equation is parents not doing their jobs,” Accius said. “If parents don’t step in to find out what their child is doing, moments like this happen… You need to start monitoring your child a lot better, and I don’t think enough parents are doing that.” Tyler McClure, CEO of the youth outreach organization Gifted Misfits, said more resources need to be provided for Sacramento’s youth, especially later in the evening. “We need money. We need safe places for our people. Where are the places where they can rock out late at night with supervision, good music, good vibes and good food?” McClure said. “If we want this to stop, we have to put our words in our hands. We have to put our hearts in our hands. We have to put our policies in our hands.” McClure said the hope is to keep the kids involved in positive activities and keep them off the streets at night. “There’s been no benefit in staying out late. That’s when most of our kids get shot. That’s when they rob places. That’s when they get arrested. “That’s when the fights happen,” McClure said. Under Sacramento city charter, minors are prohibited from being in public during curfew hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Exceptions apply if the minor is accompanied by a guardian, is involved in an emergency or is attending an official school function or sporting event. Sacramento police also said 34-year-old Svyatoslav Stankevich threw a metal pipe at a police officer and smashed the window of a patrol car during Friday’s fracas at DOCO. He was arrested for assault on a peace officer, vandalism, resisting arrest and giving a false name to police officers. Two other adults were also arrested for resisting and obstructing. For more coverage of California’s top news, click here | Download our app.