The Mill Valley Police Department (MVPD) responded to the scene of a rowdy party of 100 to 200 high school students in the CVS parking lot outside of the local apartments on Ashford Avenue on Nov. 5. A concerned neighbor reported a large group of teens drinking alcohol and acting in a rambunctious manner to MVDP, according to reports from the police. 

Upon arrival of the police, some from the group of teens in the parking lot had tensions rise between them and the MVPD team. 

A Tamalpais High School junior was arrested about 10 minutes after MVDP arrived due to an open can of alcohol, police said. An unknown member of the crowd responded to the arrest by throwing a full can of alcohol at a deputy, hitting him in the head. The deputy sustained minor injuries, police said. 

“During this time, the crowd was moving in and out of CVS and throwing cans and bottles at officers in the area,” MVPD wrote in a statement. “As officers attempted to safely disperse the crowd, juveniles began jumping on a police car, throwing additional items and surrounding police vehicles.”  

MVPD cited the party’s host with a $750 fine and fined the arrested teen with a $250 ticket as well.

The incident sparked an active discussion on Nextdoor, an online forum regarding local issues. Many Mill Valley residents were outraged by the behavior exhibited by the local teens, with some suggesting strict disciplinary action as a solution. “Arrest them all. That would put a stop to it,” Joy Perrin suggested. 

Other community members expressed their thoughts, believing the incident was an outlier, and does not represent the youth of Mill Valley. 

Local Katherine Armistead weighed in on the situation. “We have countless amazing students, teens, athletes and teen community leaders in Mill Valley. While these incidents are abhorrent, they are a select number and seemingly a cry for help,” she said.