Concerns About 'Teen Takeovers' Ramp Up On Social Media After 22 People Between 12 and 21 Years Old Arrested In Tampa, Florida

A Teen Takeover is a meetup, usually organized over social media or by word of mouth, where as many teenagers as possible meet in a specific location to party and socialize. Teen takeovers have been reported in the media since as early as 2023, often in a negative context due to fights, vandalism and other "rowdy" behavior happening during the takeovers. In late 2025, a 14-year-old was reportedly shot and killed at a teen takeover in Chicago. Discourse about teen takeovers had a resurgence on social media in mid-May 2026 after reports that police officers arrested 22 people at a teen takeover at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa, Florida went viral.