Shooting at Mayfair

Shooting at Mayfair mall leaves 8 injured; police looking for shooter https://t.co/eGWPH4zf6V

— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) November 21, 2020

What a mess!

Thankfully, no one was killed.

Mayfair, Macy's, Teens and Thieves

It's coming up on five years since Mayfair Mall enacted its parental guidance policy after teen thugs threatened the future of the shopping center.

Here is Mayfair's "current parental guidance required" policy:

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 3PM until close

1. Visitors 17 years of age and younger are required to be accompanied by a parent or supervising adult age 21 or older on Friday, Saturday and Sunday after 3pm.

2. Unsupervised youth shopping prior to 3 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings must leave the mall by 3 pm or immediately be joined by a parent or supervising adult age 21 or older.

3. Proof of age may be required for the youth or supervising adult. Those who lack proper identification will be asked to leave the property.

4. Valid identification includes a state issued driver’s license or ID card, a military ID, a school ID card, or a passport. The identification must be tamper proof and include a photograph and date of birth.

5. One adult may accompany up to four youths*. All accompanied youth must remain with the supervising adult at all times.

6. Supervising adults are responsible for the actions of the youth they accompany.

*Does not include youth 10 and under

Code of Conduct

Our center is committed to providing an enjoyable shopping experience for all guests. While visiting this center, the following activities will not be accepted:

• Violations of the Law.
• Any activity that threatens the safety of our guests, tenants, and/or employees.
• Any activity that threatens the well being of the property.
• Any activity that disrupts our pleasant, family-oriented shopping environment.
• Any activity that is inconsistent with the general purpose of the property, which is shopping, dining, or visiting offices for business purposes.
• Any activity whose nature would tend to disrupt the legitimate business of the property and its tenants.

Guests who do not act responsibly or follow center policies may be asked to leave. If they fail, or refuse to leave the property, they may be arrested and prosecuted for criminal trespass.

In spite of the policy, 8 teens were arrested on Friday night after stealing nearly $2,100 in merchandise from Macy's.

From WauwatosaNOW:

Eight teens were arrested for retail theft after they ran out of Macy's at Mayfair with armfuls of designer clothing and hopped a bus Friday night.

According to Wauwatosa Police Department reports:

Members of the group selected items that totaled nearly $2,100 in value while one acted as a lookout about 8:30 p.m. Friday. Suddenly, they all made a ran for the exit and ran to a Milwaukee County bus.

The bus was stopped and numerous pieces of clothing with tags on them were found underneath the seats.

A prisoner van was brought to the mall parking lot to collect the suspects, who range in age from 13 to 19.

They said they had taken a bus from Milwaukee earlier in the evening. During that trip, one member of the group kicked out a bus window and a pad of bus transfers was taken.

Most of the teens were released to their parents. Shortly after walking out of the police station, the mother of a 16-year-old boy said her son ran off before they even got to their car in the parking lot.

Obviously, the thugs managed to avoid the mall's "parental guidance required" policy in order to commit their crimes.

They didn't manage to avoid the police.

These teen thieves were released to their parents after they were arrested following their night of thuggery and lawlessness.

I wonder what the thugs did on Saturday.

I imagine they weren't working to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.

Just a guess.

Mayfair: Facebook Fight

Mayfair Mall has not been having a very good June.

Earlier this week, there was the story of the teen thug pulling a gun on a couple in the Mayfair parking lot at around 2:00 in the afternoon.

Now, we hear about a violent fight that took place at the mall last week.

From WauwatosaNOW:

A fight between two 23-year-old Milwaukee women at Mayfair last week resulted in hair scattered on the floor, nearly two dozen punches thrown and a bleeding eye, according to a Wauwatosa police report.

Also from the report:

One of the women was shopping at Journeys shoe store when the second entered, yelling about Facebook, at 6:32 p.m. June 22.

She pulled the first woman out of the store by her hair and punched her repeatedly, resulting in an eye injury.

Security guards arrived and pulled them apart.

Both women were arrested for disorderly conduct and the district attorney is expected to issue charges this week.

This wasn't a minor disagreement playing out in public.

This was a scary, violent incident.

There's nothing wrong with Mayfair.

There is quite a bit wrong with some of its patrons.

This handful of bad people may serve to keep many good people away from Mayfair.

Mayfair Parking Lot, Gun

More trouble at Mayfair Mall--

What's especially troubling about this most recent report of trouble at Mayfair is that the incident took place in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon.

From WauwatosaNOW:

A teenage boy pulled a gun and threatened a couple in the Mayfair parking lot last week, according to a Wauwatosa police report.

Also from the report:

The Brookfield couple got out of their car and began to open the trunk, and then they heard a loud stomp and indistinguishable noise. The teen caught the couple off guard, and he and the car owner exchanged words at 1:57 p.m. Wednesday.

When the teen got six or seven cars away, he pulled a gun from his pocket and said "Do you wanna die?" and "Do you want me to kill your wife?"

The couple ran into the mall and called the police.

They said the perpetrator appeared in his late teens and further described him as black, about 6 feet, 1 inch, about 145 pounds and having a swollen left eye. He was dressed in an oversized white shirt, long dark jean shorts and a white baseball cap.

I don't know what sort of words were exchanged between the thug and the car owner.

In any event, nothing would warrant pulling a gun and threatening to murder.

It's very disturbing that one isn't safe in the parking lot at Mayfair at 1:57 in the afternoon.

Mayfair Mall 'Disturbance'

Once again, Mayfair Mall was the site of a serious 'disturbance' involving mobs of teens.

The latest trouble occurred Sunday evening. I guess the thugs weren't interested in the Packer game.

Unfortunately, the mall's rules requiring those under 18 to be supervised by an adult aren't in place on Sundays. Those rules were established in 2007, following repeated disturbances at Mayfair.

The thugs were apparently so out of control and the fear of escalating violence and damage was so intense that they forced Mayfair Mall to close early. Police shut it down.

I can't imagine how bad things must have been to put the entire mall on lockdown and then close it.

What's especially troubling about this incident is the refusal by authorities to provide information about what happened.

It's a really stupid move. Rumors are filling the void. For example, was there gunfire? Was there looting inside Boston Store?

Here are media reports:

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : Mayfair Mall closes early after tumult
TMJ4: Police Close Mayfair Mall After Disturbance

FOX 6 News: Disturbance shuts down Mayfair Mall 1/2 hour early

WISN: 'Group Of Youth' Causes Disruption At Mayfair Mall In Wauwatosa, Very Few Details About Incident Being Released

Video:

WISN

TMJ4



Photos:

WISN
Journal Sentinel

According to TMJ4, two hours after the mall was closed, crowds of teens remained in the area. One male was asked, "Why were you doing that?" He responded, "I don't know. Just trying to have fun."


Unbelievable.

It's terrible that police aren't giving any official word on what exactly happened.

"Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier told 12 News there was 'definitely a disruption' that forced the mall to close early."

No kidding.

Mayfair Mall did release this statement:

“What occurred this afternoon appears to be a group of youth intent on disrupting the shopping experience at Mayfair. The safety and security of our visitors are always our top priority. This behavior is isolated and we will not condone it. To assist police earlier in identifying and apprehending suspects, we made the decision to close the mall shortly before our regular closing time. We anticipate there will be consequences as a result of what happened today. We are thankful for the support of our public safety team and the Wauwatosa Police Department. We are even more thankful there were no injuries as a result of the youth’s careless actions.”

"Consequences"?

Mall officials anticipate "consequences as a result of what happened"?

I suppose that means more rules placing restrictions on young people at the mall.

I think a consequence of this violence will be more shoppers will avoid Mayfair.

I also think it's a bit weird that the statement refers to the "youth's careless actions."

I wouldn't call their actions "careless." Their thug behavior was clearly intentionally disruptive, destructive, and violent.

It really is inexcusable for Wauwatosa police to refuse to make any comments on the incident until January 3rd.

It seems like damage control to me. It seems like the mayor and mall officials are afraid to share the truth.
______________

UPDATE: Mayfair considering changes after teens storm mall

Mayfair Mall officials said Monday they are considering unspecified operational changes one day after dozens of young people stormed the popular mall late in the afternoon, scaring customers and store employees.

Wauwatosa police confirmed on Monday that a gun was fired outside the mall. It was not clear whether the disruption inside the mall was connected to an attempted armed robbery near a bus stop where police said the gun was fired.

One eyewitness said Monday that anywhere from 80 to 100 young people went through the Boston Store, located on the south end of the mall, about 15 to 20 minutes after security guards broke up a fight just outside the department store entrance on the mall's second floor.

...The weekend incident also raised fears that people would avoid shopping at the mall. Wauwatosa Mayor Jill Didier, who had been shopping with her daughter earlier Sunday, said the mall annually attracts millions of customers and is safe.

"It is a positive environment to go to," Didier said.

Still, Didier said the incident concerned her.

"It's always a concern when something happens in your community," she said. "You have to take it seriously."

No.

Obviously, Mayfair is not safe and it's not a positive environment.

When shopping on a Sunday during the late afternoon, one doesn't expect to encounter gunshots and mobs of marauding thugs.

The fact that Mayfair is "considering" changes rather than promising changes tells me it's not serious about protecting shoppers.

There are other places to shop.

Eugene Kane: Bayshore and Black Kids

Predictable.

Eugene Kane frames the new policies put in place by Bayshore Town Center as racially motivated.

TMJ4 has video of the teen mob scene at Bayshore on December 26, taken by Bill Krzyzanek, a Port Washington man.

Yes, it was out of control and the mall lost business because of it. I know that for a fact.

But Kane doesn't see this as a matter of businesses wanting to keep customers in their stores and spending money. He sees it as a racial issue. It's discrimination, according to Kane.

Kane writes:

Once again, it seems there's a problem with black kids at the shopping mall.

This time it's the Bayshore Town Center instituting temporary new rules banning teenagers from the mall during certain hours unless accompanied by an adult or guardian. A few years ago, problems were reported with black kids at Mayfair Mall, which responded with a similar policy.

Although never targeted at any specific racial demographic, the restrictions at Mayfair sparked a debate about the perception of certain young people in our community. It's happening again.

The problems at Bayshore Town Shopping Center involved the behavior of mainly black kids who have recently discovered the mall as a popular hangout.

The tipping point reportedly came the day after Christmas when more than 100 young people congregated in the food court. Some store owners and shoppers became upset with their behavior and police were called.

I've seen the report on the incident by the Glendale Police Department. It says there was a "report of 100 juveniles fighting in food court," but officers found there was "no fight. Just hundreds of juveniles gathering using obscene and threatening language."

This all harks back to the days of the old Northridge Mall, which closed after experiencing similar complaints about unruly behavior and inadequate security. Young black people were blamed for that, too.

Who was responsible for the "unruly behavior"?

The blame for the problems lies with them, the unruly ones. This isn't about skin color. It's not about avoiding diversity.

It's as if Kane thinks people should be willing to put up with a shopping experience that includes "hundreds of juveniles gathering using obscene and threatening language."

That's ridiculous.

Just like with Mayfair, the Bayshore situation seems to have more to do with perceptions rather than any actual threat from the teens. It's also more about the language and demeanor of some African-Americans - males in particular - who appear threatening to people not familiar with that particular group.

It's about some people not being able to tell if a bunch of young black people are about to have a fight or just engaging in tomfoolery.

No. This is NOT about being unfamiliar with certain behaviors and therefore finding them troubling. It's about bad behavior, inappropriate social behavior.

This wasn't a little "tomfoolery."

That's not what I heard about the December 26 disturbance at Bayshore.

He wants to blame what he considers to be some false perception rather than face the reality of what happened at Bayshore.

Don't be fooled by Kane's account.

Kane concludes his column the way he has concluded so many others:

...It's all a byproduct of Milwaukee's racially segregated nature that prompts some people to feel uncomfortable whenever they are around people who are different.

That's an entirely separate problem that can't be solved by a ban.

Good grief.

This isn't some plot to get black kids out of shopping malls. It's about maintaining order and an environment conducive to attracting shoppers. Mobs of screaming teens taking over a space doesn't help draw customers to stores.

It's just goofy to say that kids running amok in a mall and customers and store owners complaining about that terribly inappropriate behavior has anything remotely to do with "Milwaukee's segregated nature."

Black kids aren't being targeted by Bayshore or its patrons because they're racists, as Kane implies.

If black kids were at the mall to shop and spend money, there's no way business owners would enact policies that might keep them away. No way.

An important point: Kids of ALL races can still go to Bayshore on Fridays and Saturdays.

They just have to follow the rules:

NEW PARENT ESCORT POLICY

Please Remember - 3 pm Means 3 pm

Youth 17 and under may not remain in public spaces of Bayshore Town Center after 3:00 pm Friday and Saturday, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 21 or older.

Why would Kane say that Bayshore's policy is aimed at black kids?

Race isn't mentioned at all. Everyone under 18 is impacted equally. Bayshore's restrictions apply to ALL kids.

Watch this video again.

Come on.

Bayshore isn't being unreasonable here.

Bayshore Policy, Curfew for Teens

On December 26, Bayshore Town Center had a major problem.

I wasn't there, but I know two adults who were there -- big, strong males.

They were uncomfortable with the mobs of teens that had taken over the place. They found the atmosphere intimidating, and they didn't want to be in the middle of it in the event the mob turned unruly and violence broke out.

Remember, these are guys, not little old ladies or suburban moms with young children in tow. Nonetheless, they were uncomfortable. It seemed like a potentially explosive situation.

They told me that they had never seen Bayshore like that. They estimated that about 100 kids were gathered around a bus stop. They said that there were at least six or seven police squads on the scene.

Given that it was the day after Christmas and I wasn't exactly spending my time monitoring the media, I can't say that the disturbance received no coverage. But because of what I had been told about the situation, I did expect to see some reporting on the matter. I found nothing.

It wasn't until New Year's Day that I saw a TMJ 4 report on the new rules in place at Bayshore.

Today, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has finally decided to cover the story.

A Dec. 26 incident involving more than 100 teens in the food court pushed Bayshore Town Center to adopt a curfew similar to Mayfair's, mall manager Christian Jaeger said Monday.

"There was some disorderly conduct," Jaeger said. "It was a trend we'd been monitoring for some time."

Bayshore announced the new rules on New Year's Eve. The rules, which will be in force for a month, ban people under 18 from the center after 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The first weekend with the rules in place was calm, according to Jaeger and several merchants.

"It was well-received this weekend," Jaeger said. The policy will be reviewed with Glendale police and community leaders in a few weeks to determine if it will continue, he said.

Teens commenting on Bayshore's Facebook fan page said they were upset about the rules.

"Do you guys not like us or something?" a girl wrote. "Dont become a Mayfair. I know kids from around WFB will probably not come anymore. Bayshore will not have as many customers as you guys did when kids were allowed. We LIKE to spend money. Why not let us?"

"Bayshore on that now?! Teenagers be the one bringin the cash in," wrote a girl from North Division High School. She said she would shop at Brookfield Square in the future.

Several teens and adults wrote that it was a shame that all teens will be punished for the actions of a few.

Yeah, it's a shame.

Deal with it.

All blame lies with the members of the mobs bent on intimidation and driving out customers.

It's precisely because Bayshore doesn't want the problems that plagued Mayfair that this action was taken.

It's smart. It's good business. And it's overdue.

The two males who told me about the December 26 mob scene were at Bayshore shopping for a computer and other items. They intended to go to the Apple Store. They changed their plans.

They did purchase a computer on December 26, but not from the Bayshore location. They decided to go to Best Buy instead because of the disturbance.

Yes, Bayshore lost money that night.

Without the rules, stores would stand to lose more.

Here's Bayshore's "New Parent Escort Policy":

NEW PARENT ESCORT POLICY

Please Remember - 3 pm Means 3 pm

Youth 17 and under may not remain in public spaces of Bayshore Town Center after 3:00 pm Friday and Saturday, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 21 or older.

Fish Pedicure at Mayfair

UPDATE, May 6, 2009: State orders closure of fish-nibbling salon at Mayfair
_______________

UPDATE, May 5, 2009: Fish pedicure store at Mayfair Mall closing

_______________

It took a while, but now you can get one of those trendy fish pedicures if you're in the Milwaukee area.

NO THANKS.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The fish at Mayfair's newest skin care salon may have to look elsewhere for their lunch if state regulators decide that the operation doesn't meet health standards.

Doctor Fish Magnifique - where you pay $35 to have fish nibble your feet - opened over the weekend on the second level of the mall, bringing to Milwaukee for the first time a craze that started in Turkey. But another salon owner has complained, and noted that state regulators have banned the practice.

It's a simple idea: tiny Asian garra rufa fish, known as doctor fish, nibble on your toes and heels, removing dead skin cells. Think of it as a pedicure without the pumice stone.

A row of customers was enjoying the process Tuesday afternoon, as passers-by watched in awe through a glass window.

I wouldn't want to have such a pedicure and I wouldn't want to gawk at others having it done.

...After hearing about the new store, a local salon owner raised questions about the legality of the operation, citing minutes of the state's Barbering and Cosmetology Board from September 2008.

The minutes say that the state has been advising licensees that fish pedicures are not legal in Wisconsin because of sanitation concerns.

Gerald Williamson of Wauwatosa, who owns the Doctor Fish Salon, said he wasn't aware of the September ruling.

Williamson maintains that regulations governing pedicures don't apply to his operation, because he provides exfoliation, not pedicures. Clients who need nail polish are sent to two nail salons in the mall.

Williamson said that before opening he spoke to state cosmetology regulators, and was told the state didn't have any regulations on fish pedicures. Neither did Milwaukee County.

The Wauwatosa Heath Department told him to change the water for each client, which he does. Williamson said his staff also sanitizes the feet of each client, before and after the fish do their work.

Well, I would HOPE that the water for each client would be changed. But you can't change whatever germs are in the mouths of the fish.

Last year, when commenting on doctor fish being used at a DC area salon, I questioned whether the procedure was safe.

Are the fish sanitary? What do regulators think about little fish teeth scraping off dead skin? Do they harbor any weird bacteria?

Will Doctor Fish Magnifique be shut down?

I would think that before allowing the procedure, the state should have some regulations in place.

This seems like a lawsuit just waiting to happen.
_______________

UPDATE: State sends investigator to view feet-nibbling fish

Eugene Kane and the Mayfair Mall Brawl

Eugene Kane has NOT made a New Year's resolution to stop acting as an apologist for thugs.

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kane writes, "Black males must be taught to heal themselves."

It was not exactly the best way to kick off a bout of day-after-Christmas shopping. But seeing how this is Milwaukee, a big holiday brawl caught on tape for a nation to see wasn't surprising.

"Did you see the big fight at Mayfair on TV?"

That's what one friend asked after I returned from a recent vacation.

Seeing how this is Milwaukee, he didn't even have to tell me the fight involved a bunch of young black males at Mayfair Mall. It was yet another YouTube moment for our fair city, a raucous scene in a clothing store at the mall the day after Christmas.

It had to be replayed over and over on local and national TV stations for the entertainment of possibly millions.

Call it a brawl, a melee or just a pretty scary scenario for innocent bystanders; thankfully, nobody called it a riot.

That would have been over the top for a fight that apparently left no one injured and didn't require much police response before it was over. But, again, seeing how this is Milwaukee, for some it represented yet another sign of Armageddon.

Young black men, ruining things for everyone.

Kane seems to think that those racist Milwaukeeans overreacted to the after Christmas incident at the Wet Seal in Mayfair Mall.



According to Kane, no big deal. After all, no one was injured and it "didn't require much police response before it was over."

Of course, thanks to the thugs, the store was such a mess that it had to close for over an hour on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. But Kane doesn't seem to think that was a problem.

In fact, Kane spins the thugs' behavior as progress.

He writes:

Someone has to teach them how to heal themselves.

In terms of resources, I agree with recommendations to divert some money being spent fighting terrorism overseas and at home to fund the urban warfare against homegrown "insurgents" in the central cities who terrorize their own communities with guns. But just like in the fight against terrorism, it's important not to racially profile every young black male as a troublemaker and instead concentrate on the really bad guys.

After the Mayfair Mall incident, one local TV station interviewed one of the alleged participants, who apologized for his part in the melee but insisted he was just trying to protect a friend from attack. It didn't make the incident any less shocking, but it did suggest some of these fellows actually do recognize their antisocial behavior and can feel remorse.

My friend suggested the Mayfair Mall brawl might be a harbinger of a positive change in terms of a more desirable mentality among young black males.

"At least they were fighting fair with their fists instead of using guns," he offered.

Strange as it may seem, in an age where young black men often end up killing each other, a brawl in a mall with no casualties might qualify as reason to give thanks for small favors. Now, we have to get them to take the next step, which is not wanting to fight at all.

Yes, let's cut back on spending to fight the terrorists that obliterated the World Trade Center and slaughtered nearly 3000 people in a couple of hours. Put those funds into controlling the homegrown "insurgents."

Insurgents?

Kane gets to equate the black male thugs with the likes of al Qaeda terrorists. I doubt Kane would allow a white suburbanite to do the same.

Anyway, forget about the damage and disorder at Mayfair.

There were no guns in this clash. Progress! Baby steps in the right direction!

Kane thinks the lesson here is that the thugs must learn to heal.

I think they need to learn to respect people and property.

"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

Basic stuff. That's not difficult to teach. It doesn't cost anything. One simple, easy to remember rule.

It's interesting that Kane notes "some of these fellows actually do recognize their antisocial behavior and can feel remorse."

So if they know they're behaving badly and what they're doing is wrong, shouldn't they be held responsible for committing their antisocial acts rather than being depicted as the helpless victims of an unjust society?

I don't think Kane would know Armageddon if it came up and bit him.

Such blindness is part of the problem.

Brawl at Mayfair Mall

It took a few days for this story to get out, but the most recent disturbance at Mayfair Mall has gone national.

Why? There's video, and it's incredible.

MSNBC

Breitbart

KSDK - St. Louis

An argument between two young men inside Mayfair Mall quickly became a series of physical fights that resulted in damage to a clothing store and took shoppers by surprise.

Three men in their early 20s have been issued municipal citations for disorderly conduct for their part in the fight.

According to a Wauwatosa police:

Two men were arguing outside of the Wet Seal clothing store at 5:53 p.m. Dec. 26, when one of the men punched the other one in the face. They pushed and fought their way into the store within seconds.

"It was just a fight that rolled over into the store," Lt. Dominic Leone said. "Then other fights broke out and soon it seemed like three different fights were going on at one time. The place was a mess."

While the fight lasted only a little more than one minute, the more than half-dozen people who got involved helped turn the store upside down, and the store was forced to close temporarily so employees could clean up the sales floor, Leone said.

The two men who started the fight and one man who joined it later were arrested.

More, from TMJ 4:

A big brawl breaks out at Mayfair Mall and it's all caught on tape. It happened the day after Christmas.

Some of the shoppers who showed up at Mayfair Mall last Friday looking for bargains, got a lot more than they bargained for. They found themselves in the middle of a brawl right in the middle of the mall.

The big-time brawl happened inside the "Wet Seal" teen clothing store at Mayfair Mall last Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It left the store in shambles and shoppers stunned.

...Wauwatosa police say the video shows Areinio Green lunged at another man and punched him in the face. A fight that spilled into the store where a half dozen more people jumped in as store employees and customers looked on-seemingly in disbelief-before running for the door.

...Police don't know exactly what started the fight-but wound up arresting Green and two other Milwaukee men, Christopher Silah and Andre Thomas.

Dash-cam video shows Tosa Police looking for Thomas who police say jumped in his car after the fight, ditched it and then took off on foot. Police caught him within minutes.

All three men arrested were sighted for disorderly conduct and released. Despite the size of the fight, no one was seriously hurt. After watching the video, Tosa Police says it stands by its decision not to send the case to the DA.

Brawl video, from TMJ 4.



One of the thugs involved in the brawl did an interview with TMJ 4's Lauren Leamanczyk.



According to Andre Thomas, the fight stemmed from an argument several months ago on a basketball court between a group of guys and his cousin. They ran into each other at the mall.

ANDRE THOMAS: It's not a good decision to participate in any fights. You know what I'm saying? But when there's a crowd of people, you know what I'm saying, beating up someone you've been with for a long time, you know, since you were a baby, I mean, what can you do?

Leamanczyk reports that Thomas wonders why security didn't step in.

THOMAS: There was about 4 or 5 guards there, you know what I'm saying, just watching the fight.

Of course.

Blame mall security for what happened rather than the thugs engaged in the fight.

Sure.

Why didn't Thomas approach security and ask for help? If he took the time to count the guards watching the fight, he could have taken the time to demand assistance for his relative.

Nonetheless, according to Leamanczyk, Thomas does take responsibility for his actions.

THOMAS: I apologized to all of the people that came to the precinct and I wrote a letter. I apologized to the people, and I apologized to the people in the mall.

It looks like there was plenty of damage done in the store. And it had to close its doors for more than an hour on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Disorderly conduct citations are no more than a slap on the wrist. I think Tosa police should have sent the case to the DA. It's a big mistake to not take this sort of behavior more seriously.

Mayfair Mall: Armed Robbery Attempt?

Here we go again...

Things have been pretty quiet at Mayfair Mall, at least compared to 2007 when the mall was forced to enact its "get tough" policy to combat its thug problem.

This afternoon, there was a problem there.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Wauwatosa Police have detained two men and are investigating complaints that a man had a gun and tried to rob someone this afternoon in a Mayfair Mall.

Police received a call from mall security just after noon. Investigators stopped a man that met a witnesses' description in the mall's west parking lot. They took that man into custody and another man who was with him, said Lt. Dominic Leone of the Wauwatosa Police Department.

Police believe one of the men had a gun inside the mall, but officers have searched the west parking lot and haven't found a weapon, Leone said. Officials are trying to retrace the steps of one of the men and figure out any place where he could have stashed a gun, Leone said.

Just in the time for the Christmas shopping season!

The news has not been good lately for Mayfair Mall.

There's the financial problems: Mayfair Mall owner is deep in debt, may face bankruptcy.

Now, this.

News of an attempted armed robbery isn't good for business.

Are metal detectors at all entrances in order?

The Jonas Brothers and Violence

Things have been pretty quiet at Mayfair Mall. After a series of high profile disturbances, and new policies put in place to regain control, the mall has stayed out of the news.

However, there was a problem last Tuesday and it involves the Jonas Brothers.

From WauwatosaNOW:

A 17-year-old Brookfield boy was arrested for disorderly conduct in Mayfair Mall, 2500 N. Mayfair Road, after defending his non-Jonas-like appearance.

According to police:

Mall security watched as the boy, seemingly walking alongside a 17-year-old West Bend boy, turned and hit the other boy with a closed fist about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The West Bend boy fell backward into a store display.

When mall security intervened, the victim said while in GameStop, he told the Brookfield boy that he resembled a Jonas brother, a music group popular with young, teenage girls.

Offended by the comment, the Brookfield boy followed the West Bend boy outside of the store, struck a fighting pose and told him to say it again to his face. When the West Bend boy walked away, he attacked him.

He told police he overreacted to being called a Jonas brother. He suspected his attention deficit disorder was responsible for his poor decision.

The old ADD defense...

The disorder was responsible for the 17-year-old's poor decision.

No, it wasn't.

The boy was responsible for getting bent out of shape over being told he resembled a Jonas brother and then going on the attack, becoming physically violent.

He's seventeen. He's not a little kid. Are we to accept his excuse that he shouldn't be blamed? Are we supposed to accept that he didn't really do the assault and attention deficit disorder did?

He needs to get himself under control and manage his disorder. He can't be beating up on people.

Does he have a driver's license? I wouldn't want him on the road. You never know when ADD might strike again.

And there's no telling what might happen if someone else comments that he resembles a Jonas brother.

What's a Snow Day?

I must be operating under a false impression.

I thought the reason schools closed when there's heavy snowfall is because traveling is dangerous.

Children aren't safely able to make it to school and back.

Right? Isn't that the point of the cancellations?

I believe it is, or was.

On its website, TMJ4 has some helpful information on ways to ride the storm out, "Where To Go For Snow Day Fun For Kids."

A winter storm is expected to enter the Milwaukee area Tuesday night and continue through Wednesday afternoon. A total of 10 to 14 inches of snow could fall in the area.

Below is a list of places you can take your kids that PLAN to be open Wednesday. Some of these places could close depending on road conditions, so it is best to call before making the trip.

Chuck E Cheese: There are three locations in Brookfield, south side of Milwaukee, and West Allis. Chuck E Cheese opens at 9:00a.m.

Chuck E Cheese Locations:

2701 S Chase Ave, Milwaukee, WI - (414) 483-8655

2990 S 108th St, Milwaukee, WI - (414) 546-3600

19125 W Bluemound Rd, Brookfield, WI - (262) 785-1400

Milwaukee Public Museum: The museum opens at 9:00 a.m.

800 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee WI – (414) 278-2702

Kenosha Public Museum: The museum opens at 12:00 p.m. unless the city closes down.

5500 1st Ave, Kenosha, WI – (262) 653-4140

Discovery World: Discovery World opens at 9:00 a.m.

500 N Harbor Drive, Milwaukee, WI - 414-765-9966

Jelly Belly Tours: Tours are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

10100 Jelly Belly Ln, Pleasant Prairie, WI - (262) 947-3800

Milwaukee County Zoo: The zoo will be open unless County Executive Scott Walker shuts down the county. It will open at 9:00a.m.

10001 West Blue Mound Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Information: (414)) 256-5412, Main Office: (414) 771-3040

Stone Fire Pizza Company: Stone Fire Pizza Company will have mommy and me from 9 to 11 a.m. It will have a lunch buffet and games at 11:30 a.m.

5320 S Moorland Rd, New Berlin, WI - (262) 970-8800

Betty Brinn Children’s Museum: Betty Brinn will make the decision Wednesday morning.

929 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI, (414) 390-5437

Fun World: Fun World is planning to be open 11:00 a.m.

620 Elizabeth Ct, Brookfield, WI, (262) 789-5370

Local movie theaters aren’t adding shows, but there are some early afternoon shows.

Marcus Theaters has showings of Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. Check your local theater, but most shows start between 1 and 2:30 p.m.

Click on the link under related content for Marcus Theaters show times.

AMC Mayfair also showing Alvin and the Chipmunks and National Treasure 2. Check with the theater for times, most start between 1-2:30 p.m.

Click on the link under related content for AMC Mayfair show times.

Budget South Theater is showing the Bee Movie at 12:15 p.m.

Oak Creek Value Cinema has some family friendly showings, but nothing before 4:00 p.m.

This is nuts!

IF CHILDREN CAN GET TO THESE PLACES SAFELY, SURELY THEY CAN GET TO SCHOOL.

This is priceless:

Some of these places could close depending on road conditions, so it is best to call before making the trip.

UNBELIEVABLE. It's crazy.

And this:

Local movie theaters aren’t adding shows, but there are some early afternoon shows.

ADDING SHOWS???


Will someone tell me what is the point of a snow day?

Paul Bahr a Class Act

Jim Stingl shares a terrific story in his column today, "Pianist makes girl face the music after tip theft."

He writes:

Paul Bahr was wrapping up "Strangers in the Night" when it happened.

He sat at the baby grand piano last weekend at Mayfair Mall's food court, where you'll find him nearly every Saturday during the lunch hour.

Out of the corner of his eye, Paul saw someone reach into his tip jar with both hands and grab most of the money.

"I hear this whoomp, and the person takes off. I stood up and yelled, 'Hey!' She went down the escalator, and I went down after her."

The fleeing thief turned around, and Paul could see it was a teenage girl. Paul Bahr has more than a passing interest in the welfare of kids that age because his day job is principal of Milwaukee Lutheran High School.

...The girl bolted out the mall door toward the parking lot with Paul in full-adrenaline pursuit. He's 57 years old, which would seem to give the teen an advantage in a race like this. It didn't help that Paul slipped and fell on the snowy pavement, bloodying his elbow and knee. But he bounced back up and kept running.

"You need to stop," he yelled at the girl as she sprinted toward Mayfair Road with a few bills spilling from her pockets. She appeared to tire, and Paul caught up to her and grabbed her by the coat.

"I said, 'What you did was wrong and you need to give me the money back.' She said, 'OK, OK.'"

The thief was a 15-year-old New Berlin girl.

The Wauwatosa police took her to the station, gave her a ticket, and her mother took her home.

Instead of being bitter, Bahr expressed concern for the girl and sympathy for the girl's parents.

..."I feel sorry for her," Paul said. "My heart goes out to her parents. As a father of six, this is a phone call you never want to receive."

Paul prayed that this experience will help turn the girl in the right direction, though she seemed to take the arrest so casually.

...To anyone else who gets an idea to raid Paul's tips, keep this in mind: He donates all the money he makes at the mall to church and school causes.

"That's probably why I took off after the girl," he said. "It's not my money, it's God's money."

I think that girl was so lucky to have stolen Paul Bahr's tip jar.

It may be one of the best things that could have happened to her.

Hopefully, what Bahr did for her will change her life.

Police-in-Denny's Measure

A few days ago, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett signed a measure "to let taverns and nightclubs pay for on-duty police officers to handle their security."

The council voted 10-4 to back the measure, sponsored by Ald. Willie Wade, who argued that, considering how often police are called to bars and clubs, it would be better to have the officers there all night, at the bars' expense, instead of calling them away from patrolling neighborhoods.

Perhaps Wauwatosa should consider a similar proposal for the Denny's at 11155 W. North Ave.

From WauwatosaNOW.com:

Over the last 12 months, Wauwatosa police have responded to the restaurant at 11155 W. North Ave. more than 160 times.

Wauwatosa's chief of police is worried.

"The amount of incidents and the type of incidents we have had there are definitely a concern," Barry Weber said this week, after another incident over the weekend. "When you see that many incidents, where larger groups of people are present when those incidents occur, we need to review the situation."

Most calls to the 24-hour restaurant come between 1 and 3 a.m. and are for disorderly conduct, but police also have responded numerous times for theft, fraud, suspicious persons, battery and weapons violations.

160 TIMES?

Why has it taken so long to note that there seems to be a bit of a problem at this Denny's?

...When officers responded about 2 a.m. Dec. 8, they found a large group of people outside and between 100 and 150 people inside the restaurant trying to push their way out after a fight broke out. Police pushed through the crowd, to find the fight had stopped and one man bleeding from the face. No arrests were made because no one, including the victim, would provide any information on the suspects.

Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Nov. 24, police arrested a 23-year-old Milwaukee man at Denny's for battery after he punched a man multiple times. During that fight, many people fled and the restaurant was left with $487.41 in unpaid bills.

Weber said the restaurant caters to an after-bar crowd, which makes for a volatile environment despite the presence of the restaurant's security guard.

Watch just how volatile the environment can become.

Video: Fight at Denny's

That's a large crowd for so late at night. I bet that Denny's must be doing pretty well in terms of business, unless people make a habit of fleeing the restaurant during disturbances, leaving lots of unpaid bills.

I wonder if the restaurant's lone security guard is armed.
__________________

TMJ4 reports:

Late Thursday afternoon, Denny’s announced changes because of the serious problems. They say the location will close from midnight until 5:00 a.m. on weekends. They're deciding whether to make that change permanent.

After the media picked up on the story of all the trouble at this Denny's location, it doesn't surprise me that the decision was made to close that restaurant between midnight and 5:00 AM.

A police-in-Denny's plan, similar to Milwaukee's police-in-taverns measure, could be the answer.

Or maybe, like Mayfair Mall, Denny's could try a carding policy. People under 30 need to be accompanied by someone who can order off the Denny's Senior Menu (For our guests 55 and older).

That probably wouldn't work. Denny's might be sued for age discrimination. Then again, it could be argued that the Senior Menu itself is discriminatory.

Obviously, there are no simple solutions when you have a clientele seemingly incapable of behaving.

More Trouble at Mayfair Mall

I'm told late this afternoon there was an incident at Macy's at Mayfair Mall.

A man screamed that everyone should get on the floor. There were other screams.

A number of police squads arrived.

What happened?

I'm not sure, but I'm sure it wasn't good.

Mayfair Loosens Up

The parental supervision policy at Mayfair may have helped control violence at the mall, but at what price?

Is the policy responsible for sending shoppers to the competition?

Wauwatosa -- Mayfair Mall, facing reduced sales, has decided to extend its hours on Saturdays and ease restrictions slightly on unescorted teens.

Starting this weekend, the Wauwatosa mall will stay open until 9 p.m. on Saturdays. And unescorted children under 18 may stay at the mall until 3 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, one hour later than previously enforced.

The changes come after Mayfair's sales turned downward for the first time since 2001, Mayfair marketing manager Nancy Conley said.

"It's a slight decrease," she said, adding that the downturn occurred in May and June.

Adding to Mayfair's challenges are poor sales at Macy's, one of its anchor department stores, and stiffer retail competition in the Milwaukee area.

Since March 30, the retail center has required children under 18 to be escorted by adults after 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The restrictions, called Parental Guidance Required, were put in place after episodes, a few of them violent, that required police intervention.

This weekend's rule changes also relax the requirements for parental escorts. Under the original rules, an adult over 21 could escort only four children under 18. This caused problems for parents taking larger groups of children to movies and birthday parties at places such as Build-a-Bear Workshop and Club Libby Lu.

New rules will allow one adult to supervise any number of children ages 10 and younger during curfew periods. The limit of four youths per adult still applies to children from age 11 to 17 during curfew times.

"We always said it was going to be a fluid program," Conley said.

That's true. Mayfair officials always said that they would make adjustments to the program.

No one wanted Mayfair to go the way of Northridge Mall, so they put the policy in place.

That was the right thing to do.

Macy's poor performance can't be blamed on the parental escort policy.

..."Macy's has not been received well in the marketplace," Conley said.

The retailer has struggled nationally, reporting Wednesday that its second-quarter earnings fell 77% and sales were down 2%. The company also lowered its outlook for the third quarter, citing its own negative trends and concern about the economy.

"The buyers didn't buy appropriately for the Midwest," Conley said of the situation at Mayfair. The company has addressed the issue, and Macy's is hoping to improve sales with the introduction of fall merchandise, she said.

Oooh. Fall merchandise. How novel!

What is this? "The buyers didn't buy appropriately for the Midwest."

What's that supposed to mean? It sounds like a cut on the people of flyover country.

Now, the buyers have learned what sort of merchandise appeals to Midwestern hicks.

Sure.

In Chicago, some shoppers have boycotted the Macy's store to protest the name change of the landmark Marshall Field's on State St.

I think Marshall Field's customers were a loyal bunch, both at the Chicago State St. store and at Mayfair.

You can't just plop another store in there and expect things to be the same.

Since the weekend supervision policies began in March, they have made an impact, said teens who were at Mayfair on Thursday.

Ciara Camberos, 16, works weekend shifts at Cinnabon in the mall. She said she's noticed a thinner crowd in recent months on Friday and Saturday afternoons. And since the parental guidance policy went into effect, Camberos has opted to shop at Bayshore and Brookfield Square during her weekend off hours.

"They lost a lot of money from me," the Whitefish Bay High School student said.

Michael Czerwinski, 13, of Menomonee Falls said that the one time he tried to venture into the mall alone during restricted hours, Mayfair security stopped him. Czerwinski had to call his parents to retrieve him, he said.

Since then, he and his friends have shopped elsewhere on weekend afternoons, he said.

"We've been going to Brookfield Square," Czerwinski said.

The addition of an hour to the time youths under 18 can shop unsupervised won't affect his habits much, he said.

Of course, the policy had an impact on kids at the mall. That was the idea.

If there is a mass exodus of kids leaving Mayfair and going to Brookfield Square, then some of the trouble that plagued Mayfair should be sprouting up there. Is that the case?

I find the anecdotal evidence presented in the article to be a waste. Do the shopping patterns of a couple of teens reflect the larger population?

It's hard to believe that 13-year-old Michael Czerwinski and his friends did a lot of spending at Mayfair.

It would be interesting to see Brookfield's sales numbers. If what Czerwinski says is true, and if other teens have done the same and bailed on Mayfair, then Brookfield and other shopping areas should be seeing a jump in sales.

No matter what, I think that it was wise in the long run for Mayfair to enact the escort policy.

A slight drop in sales is far better than allowing the entire Mall to go under the way Northridge did.

Mayfair Mall Rules

March 30 is TAKE BACK THE MALL day at Mayfair.

Mayfair Mall patrons under 18 will have to be accompanied by an adult after 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, under new rules announced by mall officials this afternoon.

...Under the new rules, anyone under 18 must supervised by an adult 21 or over at the mall or the AMC theater after 2 p.m. Adults can supervise no more than four youths at one time.

The restrictions also will apply to the AMC movie theater, which has been a source of trouble at the mall. Parents will no longer be allowed to drop off children at the theater after 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Under the new policy, an announcement will be made at 1 p.m. each Friday and Saturday that unsupervised youths have one more hour to shop the mall. At 2 p.m., mall security guards will tell unescorted youths that they have to leave the premises.

Young adults who are 18 and over can ask for wristbands that they can wear at the mall to show they have met the age requirement.

In addition, mothers who are not yet 21 years old will be allowed in the mall with young children.

...For now, the age restrictions will only be in place on Fridays and Saturdays, but Smith said the new rules will be monitored to see whether any changes are needed.

It's possible that the movie theater at Mayfair will see a drop in business. It's also possible that the theater will get patrons back that have abandoned it because of the thug factor.

I suppose it will take a while before shoppers and moviegoers that got in the habit of taking their business $$$ elsewhere will return.

Maybe they'll never return.

I think Mayfair wimped out by choosing to have the restrictions in effect only on Fridays and Saturdays.

I understand that the mall is testing the new policy out and may make adjustments.

But for the time being, if you're concerned about mobs of threatening teens wrecking your shopping or movie viewing experience at Mayfair, avoid the place on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Also, stay away before 2:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Teens and their parents really shouldn't complain about the new policy.

There are lots of hours when teens can freely roam the mall.

There are far fewer hours when Mayfair Mall will be designated a thug-free zone.

Mayfair Mall and the Race Card

In today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, there is an absolutely idiotic editorial about the situation at Mayfair Mall.

It appears that many people in the region think it's time to crack down on the behavior of some young people at Mayfair Mall and other public places. The urge is understandable. The policies being put in place seem reasonable. The region cannot afford another Northridge, the shopping mall that fell prey to the perception that it was not a safe place to shop.

But let's remember: Mayfair is nowhere near that stage. It is arguably the area's premier shopping mall, drawing 17 million visitors a year, according to mall officials. Yes, among those visitors is a small group of young people who - on certain days and after certain hours - make shopping an uncomfortable experience for others. There have been a few incidents of violence and crime that could bode ill for the mall's future if authorities fail to respond.

A few incidents?

I guess it's not a surprise that The Journal Sentinel Editorial Board would minimize the problems.

The Board has a history of showing tolerance for violence, whether it's perpetrated by city of Milwaukee thugs or al Qaeda terrorists or Saddam Hussein's henchmen.

Maybe a few teens don't have a good idea of how to behave in a public place. And maybe the perception of some shoppers has a lot to do with race and class.

Perception does matter. It matters a lot.

I perceive the Editorial Board to be playing the race card -- AGAIN.

The Board is accusing Mayfair officials and its clientele of wanting to keep their mall populated with the white and the rich.

How lame!

Is it possible that some shoppers and store owners at Mayfair are racists?

Absolutely.

Is it fair to assert that Mayfair's new policies to control violence and crime there are racially motivated?

Absolutely not.

That's a huge and completely unsubstantiated leap to make.

Has any Mayfair official said, "Keep out the blacks and Hispanics"?

Are shoppers asking for Mayfair to be a Minority Free Zone?

I haven't seen any indication of that anywhere.

So where did the Editorial Board come up with their theory that the policies are grounded in race and class issues?

I think it came out of their little liberal heads. It's their creation.

It's the same old, same old crap.

Getting Carded at Mayfair Mall

I give Mayfair Mall credit for instituting a "get tough" policy to combat its thug problem.

It's unfortunate that it's come to this, but it has.

The plan is to card people to keep unruly teen troublemakers from roaming the mall and terrorizing patrons, driving them away.

WAUWATOSA -- Mayfair Mall plans on taking a dramatic step to cut down on violence by requiring people to show a photo ID at the door.

The program will be implemented in April and will likely be enforced on Friday and Saturday nights.

TODAY'S TMJ4 has learned most people under 30 will be carded. Those over the "required" age will be given a wrist band and allowed inside the mall. Mayfair has not decided what the "required" age will be.

People who do not meet the "required" age will have to be with an adult, who is 21 or older.

...The rules also require anyone underage to stay with the adult the entire time. Mayfair plans on posting security guards at every entrance. Shoppers at Macy's or Boston Store will not have to show an ID to enter, but will need to show an ID once leaving the department store and entering the main mall.

No plan is perfect.

Some potential problems:

Fake IDs -- Just as with going to bars or buying alcohol from stores, I'm sure people will get around the age requirements with the help of fake IDs.

Enforcement -- A LOT of security guards will be needed to patrol the mall checking for wrist bands and making sure that underage patrons are sticking with an adult the "entire time."

What does sticking with an adult really mean? How close? Side by side? A few steps ahead or behind? Does that rule just apply in the mall itself and not in the individual stores with only mall entrances?

Wrist Bands -- It wouldn't be too difficult for a 21-year-old to get a number of wrist bands, each from a different entrance, leave the mall, give the bands to underage friends and return as a group.

Movie Theater -- In order to get to a movie, one has to enter the mall first. That means the new rules will impact the theater's business dramatically.

Forty other malls around the country have a similar policy, so it's not like this is experimental. Its effectiveness has been tested.

Mayfair can look to these places as models for implementing its own strategy.

For example, Mall of America in Minnesota has a parental escort policy.




It states that children 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older on Fridays and Saturdays after 4 p.m.

"Anyone 21 years or younger should be prepared to show a driver's license, state identification card or passport during the Parental Escort hours."

That seems reasonable.

This doesn't:

"ONE ADULT CAN ESCORT UP TO TEN CHILDREN 15 YEARS OF AGE AND YOUNGER."

Ten kids per one adult? That's a lot of kids.

Mall of America's problems appear to be different from those facing Mayfair. Restrictions have been placed on younger teens and children. That's most likely an outgrowth of the amusement park within the mall. It seems to be more of a babysitting matter there.

Violence and gang activity doesn't seem to be the issue at Mall of America since people sixteen and older are free to gather. Mayfair's troubles involve older teens as well.

Time will tell if Mayfair's plans provide a solution to eliminate the violence at the mall. Whatever inadequacies the policy may have, it is necessary to take action. Better to do something, anything, sooner than later.

Since no measures will go into effect until April, that does mean that the thugs have another full month to infest Mayfair.