NC’s largest cities poised to strengthen curfews amid growing ‘teen takeovers’

By: Clayton Henkel

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: July 15, 2026

Words: 898

Last Updated: 6 days, 10 hours ago

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“If we don’t get a handle on this, the consequences may become fatal.”

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson told the city council’s safety committee Tuesday that “teen takeovers” have become a growing problem nationwide.

It works like this: A post appears on social media inviting youth to gather at a designated spot. Hundreds, in some cases thousands, of teenagers turn out late at night, sometimes overwhelming a neighborhood.

Large swarms of teens have gathered in …

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