Three men and a woman have been charged in a fight that erupted the night before Thanksgiving at iconic Saugus, Massachusetts, restaurant Kowloon, police said Thursday.
Saugus police identified the four people and the charges they face, and noted that a report was being prepared for the Saugus Board of Selectmen about the incident. That report wasn't available as of Thursday morning.
The four people facing charges are:
- Rosaria Sophia McCauly, 32, of North Reading — she faces two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and a count of disorderly conduct
- Arnold John Carey Marujo, 19, of Somerville — he faces an underage drinking charge and disorderly conduct
- Donovan Clark, 19, of Lynn — he faces an underage drinking charge, disorderly conduct and assault and battery
- Anthony John Micelli, 35, North Reading — he faces charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct
The four were due to face their charges at Lynn District Court. It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys who could speak to the charges.
Saugus Select Board Chair Debra Panetta has previously said that the town's elected leaders would receive a separate, detailed report from police that would help them decide if any action should be taken against the establishment’s liquor license.
Part of the brawl was depicted in video that went viral on social media. It showed a chaotic scene that looked more like a fight club than a restaurant with people throwing punches and bloodied faces.
Saugus police previously confirmed that an altercation involving several people took place about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police haven't said how many people have been hurt.
Six officers who were already working at the restaurant as part of a detail were able to deescalate the situation, the department said. Restaurant management decided to close the bar and restaurant early because of the bloody melee.
“The Kowloon is a family-friendly restaurant, unfortunately a few unruly patrons ruined a nice evening for many others," Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli said in a statement at the time. "A disturbance such as this on Thanksgiving Eve is unacceptable and disgusting.”
More on Kowloon
No arrests were made, police have said, but several young men who were involved in the dispute were detained and questioned by police. The focus at the time was to provide medical treatment to those who needed it.
Bob Wong, whose family owns the institution along Massachusetts Route 1, has told NBC10 Boston that Kowloon is especially busy on the night before Thanksgiving.
"When I heard that it was on social media and all the people who were watching it, I was like, Oh my God, I guess that’s the good and bad of being popular," Wong said.
The fight came just hours after Kowloon said it was "very grateful" on Facebook for the hundreds of customers who had gathered outside the restaurant for their pre-Thanksgiving meal, posting photos that showed a line of customers waiting to get inside for Chinese food.
"You know we’re not really known for a place with people getting drunk and having fights," Wong said. "Back in the old days, it would’ve just been a fight. But because social media is involved, it becomes bigger than it is. It’s a little more sensationalized I guess."
Wong said he knew the videos that were posted online of the disturbance will get more clicks because of the name recognition of the restaurant, but said that, even with extra precautions, there was no way of predicting when emotions will boil over.
"Every once in a while, you get two people together whether it’s here, at a football game, anywhere, it can happen anywhere, it could happen in your own house. You got family members who don’t get along," he said.
