Meadows Mall brings back a temporary youth curfew after social media posts

The rule

Meadows Mall began a temporary youth curfew at 3 p.m. Thursday, requiring anyone under 18 to be accompanied by an adult 21 or older, KTNV reported. One adult may supervise up to four minors, and the group must stay together inside the mall.

Why now

Mall leadership said the policy responds to concerning activity on social media. The mall did not describe the posts or identify a specific threat. The curfew is temporary and precautionary, and the mall did not give an end date.

Not the first time

Meadows Mall used a similar policy in June, also in response to social media activity.

How police weigh online posts

LVMPD Officer Robert Wicks told the station that police take social media notifications seriously and try to move resources to locations during the time frames mentioned in posts. He said posts are vetted to decide whether they are "kids just being silly" or something legitimate.

The concern with large gatherings

Wicks said the biggest worry is posts that encourage large gatherings of people who do not know each other. When people come from across the valley and do not know one another, he said, "things tend to get out of control a little bit quicker."

What it means for families

If you have teenagers who shop or meet friends at the Meadows, plan for an adult 21 or older to be with them while the curfew is in effect, and check with the mall before going. The policy came during the week the valley marked the 1 October anniversary, covered in our report on the Forever One memorial groundbreaking.

What to watch next

• An announcement from the mall on when the curfew ends.
• Whether other valley shopping centers adopt similar policies.
• Any update from Metro on the posts that prompted the curfew.

More policy-focused safety coverage is on our public safety page.