Two 13-Year-Olds Blamed for Chain Swing Ride Incident at US Fair, Several People Injured
At an autumn fair in the US District of Columbia, the actions of two 13-year-old boys caused a chain swing ride to lose stability, injuring several visitors. Police detained both teenagers and charged them.
Two 13-year-old teenagers deliberately touched neighbouring chains while riding a chain swing carousel at an autumn fair in the US District of Columbia, causing the ride to lose stability. Several visitors were injured, and video footage filmed by eyewitnesses has prompted outrage on social media.
The footage shows the two youths holding on to each other during the ride and touching adjacent chains, ignoring earlier warnings from staff. The ride's mechanism lost its balance, the seats began slamming violently into one another, and riders screamed.
Parents stopped the ride
Eyewitness Kristen Murphy told local media she realised the ride had to be stopped immediately because her children were on it. Her husband and other parents went to the control panel themselves and forced the machine to stop.
Casualties and police action
Once the ride came to a halt, it emerged that one woman had suffered serious injuries after a powerful impact and was taken to hospital by ambulance. Two children sustained lighter injuries.
Local police detained both 13-year-olds and brought charges against them. The teenagers were afterwards released into the supervision of their parents.
