TULSA, Okla. — In recent weeks, Tulsa has seen a small spike in crime involving teenagers.
"They're out there using social media, and they're normalizing this kind of behavior," Tulsa Police Captain Richard Meulenberg said. "They're normalizing running around and doing really stupid things."
WATCH: 'You have to know who they're with': Tulsa police speak out on teen crime
Things like armed robbery. Kids out playing basketball near the Gathering Place late on December 27, leading to a 14-year-old robbing another 14-year-old at gun point with a stolen gun outside the Discovery Lab.
"It's insane for anybody to be running around, carrying a gun and robbing people, let alone a 14-year-old," Captain Meulenberg said. "I mean, a 14-year-old, they don't even have a real concept of life yet, and they're out there making horrible, life-changing decisions."
The so-called takeover of Sky Zone by teenagers back on the December 20, unrelated to the armed robbery, but highlighting a similar trend. Trending and going viral, police say, means more than anything for teens.
"They want people to believe they have this ability to take over an area, but they're just showing you what they want you to see," Captain Meulenberg said. "This little snippet of this life because they want this pursuit of clicks and likes, and they want to believe that. But in reality, we aren't seeing these massive problems."
Sky Zone's corporate office sent 2 News a statement on the 22nd, saying they're reviewing and enhancing safety protocols across all their parks.
A similar planned event at the Gathering Place made rounds on social media but didn't bring a crowd. The park sent us a statement as well, saying they have security 24/7, and they work closely with TPD to help prevent incidents.
Captain Meulenberg says these groups want you to believe they have power, when they really don't.
"Don't buy into the hype that you're seeing on social media platforms, because that's what they want," Meulenberg said.
Police did arrest the 14-year-old suspect in the armed robbery case.
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