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‘Unruly youths’ involved in disturbance crashed graduation party

Local, state, and county police broke up a mob of about 750 “unruly youths” blocking traffic in the streets and fighting on North Oakland Drive after a graduation party in Riverhead early Sunday morning.

Riverhead police reported responding to multiple calls of a large disturbance in the area about midnight. Officers arrived on the scene to find a large crowd gathering in the street near Grove Street and “acting disorderly,” according to a statement from police.

Southampton police, New York state police, Suffolk County police, New York State Park police and Suffolk County park police were called in to assist and spent two hours restoring order, police said. Numerous fights broke out during the incident and had to be stopped by police officers, according to the statement.

No arrests were made and no one was injured in the incident, police said.

Neighbors said the crowd had gathered for a high school graduation party for a nearby resident’s granddaughter. One resident said guests had been invited through Facebook, but the invitations spread and more people than expected showed up.

“They sent out invitations on Facebook and 400 people accepted,” said Chris, who declined to give his last name. Chris said he was invited to the party but did not attend.

A neighbor named Hazel said people gather on the street corners from time to time, but “it’s never been like that.”

Another resident who lives next door to the house where the party was held said the graduation party wrapped up about 11 p.m., but the attendees loitered in the road until the early morning long after the party was over.

A relative of the high school graduate who hosted the party declined to comment.