N.J. Haunted Hayride Shuts Down After Fights Erupt as Roughly 200 Teens Flood Attraction

Mar. 15, 2025

Generic image of a pumpkin field before Halloween.Photo:Getty

Getty

Things went haywire at a haunted hayride in New Jersey over the weekend, according to police, when a crowd made up of hundreds of minors broke out into fights, disrupting the Halloween attraction and forcing organizers to prematurely shut it down.

On Saturday, Oct. 19, numerous cars dropped off “an estimated 200+ juveniles” at a haunted hayride at Knight Park in the borough of Collingswood, per theCollingswood Police Department.

Fights between the attendees broke out around 8:20 p.m. local time, according to the Collingswood Police Department. On-duty officers quickly responded to the scene and “worked to disperse” them. Additional police agencies were “called in due to the volatility of the situation.”

“We heard screaming and a bunch of cops rushing and saying, ‘Get out the way.’ And after that, we were wondering what was going on and we heard like a fight,” 11-year-old Mason Reuss told the outlet of the scene.

Officials eventually made the decision to shut down the hayride to safely manage crowds and “ensure the safety of those in attendance.” Along with event organizers, officers were able to “safely escort families away from the chaos while simultaneously addressing and dispersing the individuals involved in the altercations.”

After the fights, officials held a town forum Wednesday, where Carey told a crowd that police will be reviewing body camera footage, surveillance footage, and information shared to social media, per WPVI.

“That is our intent to identify as many people as possible,” he reportedly said. “And if charges are warranted, to be charged then afterward. Our investigation is still ongoing, but the main priority at the time was to restore order and get people out of the area safely.”

No injuries were reported among those uninvolved in the fights, per the outlet, as Carey said that there was “no interaction between the groups who showed up trying to fight people who were at the haunted hayride.”

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“Unfortunately, this is not the first incident of its kind in Camden County, but Collingswood Police were able to manage this incident, which spanned several locations in town, while keeping everyone safe,” the department’s Facebook post read, commending officers' “quick and decisive” response. “Preparations have been in place for public events over the last several months and we have been able to avoid these issues. The Borough will be reviewing and revising plans for public events given this new riotous trend.”

The Collingswood Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information on Friday, Oct. 25.

On Facebook, theCollingswood Haunted Hayridewrote after the event that “a lot of the evening was beyond what could have been expected, but with the feedback and awareness we will review and organize to determine a way to move into next year.”

“We appreciate your support and it without it our event could not happen. Thank you on behalf of the Colls Haunted Hayride committee 🎃.”

source: people.com