By Heidi Kirk, WRAL staff

Fights and shootings within several heavily-trafficked areas of Raleigh on the night of July Fourth brought lots of unwanted fireworks, causing leaders to brainstorm solutions.

The holiday celebrations that went awry prompted Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell to tell WRAL News she's considering enacting a curfew for those 17 and under.

"As Mayor, I am grateful for the actions of the Raleigh Police officers in response to the situations of juvenile violence across the City on the night of July 4 and the morning of July 5. Clearly, Raleigh is not exempt from the incidents of youth violence that are occurring across the country. We need to talk with the youth, their parents, schools, and the broader community to understand the root causes and to better coordinate strategies. One approach may be a youth curfew for those 17 years and under, which other cities in North Carolina have implemented. City leadership is exploring many approaches that we will discuss at tomorrow's Council meeting."Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell 

Cowell, Raleigh City Manager Marchell Adams-David and police chief Rico Boyce will speak publicly on the matter in a press conference on Tuesday. A city council meeting is planned for Tuesday afternoon, when leaders could share specifics about what a curfew would look like.

According to police, more than 5,000 teens showed up at the Glenwood South district and began fighting in the street. Court records show dozens of criminal charges related to several fist fights in the street and others resisting arrest. Businesses on social media described the scene as "chaotic."

Several thousand more teens came to a star-spangled block party at Brier Creek Commons. A fight occurred at that location, and two bystanders were injured when shots were fired.

Court documents showed that at least 27 people between 18 to 24 years old are facing 47 charges stemming from that situation in Glenwood South. Charges range from simple affray to assaulting a police officer. It's unknown exactly how many were arrested.

Nine people were shot in total across the Glenwood South, Brier Creek and Capital Boulevard areas. Officers reported four shootings in a two-hour window after midnight. Two shootings were on Glenwood Avenue and two were on nearby Tucker and Lane streets.

Clips surfaced across social media of fighting, officers trying to take some into custody, shouting and general disorder. Records showed that a police officer's arm was cut and bleeding as they tried to break up a fight at Glenwood South, and another officer was hit in the chest after taking a drink from a person carrying an open container illegally. 

Raleigh police said about half of the teens who showed up on Glenwood South were at the disruption in Brier Creek. Several of those arrested appeared in court on Monday.

Business owners disheartened by shift in scene after violent weekend

Businesses in the Glenwood area had to close early. Some business-run social media accounts expressed frustration at the situation.

"Gun violence and reckless behavior have no place in our nightlife scene," Milk Bar wrote on Instagram. "We can do better, Raleigh."

Carey and Leila Kidd, owners of The Dirty Vegan, closed their doors early on Saturday. 

"It was just really, it was unlike anything I've ever really seen down there," Leila said. "My staff doesn't feel comfortable being there. If we don't feel comfortable being there, how can we expect patrons, staff or anyone? I just don't see how businesses, including ourselves, can sustain much longer if something doesn't change."

"We love Glenwood Avenue," said Carey Kidd. "We love Raleigh. We've grown up with Raleigh, so to see that Raleigh shifted into this type of environment is heartbreaking."

There was another shooting at a Speedway gas station on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh on Sunday before 5 a.m. Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Fayetteville, other NC cities start curfews 

In Fayetteville, the City Council just voted on June 23 to reinstate the city's youth curfew - reviving a controversial ordinance that some call unconstitutional.

However, Fayetteville police data show the last year of the curfew has not significantly impacted teen violence with the latest numbers showing while overall crime dropped in the city, juvenile assaults and robberies increased in the last year.

The ordinance prohibits teens who are 16 or younger from being out in public from 11p to 6am. And parents can be fined up to $500 if their kids are out and cited during that window. 

There have been similar occurrences in cities across the South, sometimes branded as "teen takeovers." In Charlotte, 19 juveniles were among those arrested in a Fourth of July celebration in the city's Uptown area.

Charlotte and Winston-Salem have implemented curfews after mass gatherings near busy areas and public parks. In March, Winston-Salem officers said they shut down large, unsanctioned gatherings of high schoolers in the city’s downtown area.

In Greenville, a temprary curfew was put in place for the holiday weekend after there were multiple fights in the downtown area.

© 2026 Copyright Capitol Broadcasting Company