Early-morning mayhem at Gurnee Mills

Eight people were charged with crimes ranging from battery to criminal damage to property in various incidents early Friday at Gurnee Mills, police said.

Police Cmdr. Jay Patrick said Monday the crimes were not considered gang-related and that access to Gurnee Mills was restricted for a while as it neared capacity. He said shoppers were allowed to continue, but additional officers were sent to the mall for crowd and traffic control.

Mall representatives did not answer questions about the incidents that followed the midnight opening. General Manager Randy Ebertowski issued a statement through a Florida public relations company.

"Black Friday was a great success at Gurnee Mills with thousands of eager shoppers," Ebertowski said. "Following our no-tolerance policy for those disrupting others, we value our partnership with Gurnee police to ensure the best shopping experience at Gurnee Mills."

Following are Gurnee police accounts of the felonies and misdemeanors, none of which involved weapons:

•Alan Murdock, 23, of Round Lake Beach, and a 16-year-old Waukegan boy were charged after an altercation near Burlington Coat Factory at 1 a.m.

Murdock was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing justice. There also was an active Lake County arrest warrant out for Murdock.

Police referred the 16-year-old to Lake County juvenile court on resisting arrest and disorderly conduct charges.

• At 1:29 a.m., officers were sent to break up a fight between two teenagers near Entry A. DeCarlos Hill, 17, of Great Lakes Naval Station, and 18-year-old Larry Montgomery of Zion each were charged with mob action.

• Not long after the fight near Entry A, a related altercation occurred down the hall. Police were dispatched to the area at 1:50 a.m.

Robert Ellis, 18, of North Chicago, was charged with battery, mob action and criminal damage to property. Authorities accused him of damaging a mall kiosk.

Deandre Reed, 17, of Zion, also was charged with criminal damage to property for the kiosk incident and mob action.

Police referred a 16-year-old Kenosha, Wis., boy to Lake County juvenile court on charges of mob action and criminal damage to property.

•In the final incident, officers were summoned at 2:51 a.m. outside Entry A where an intoxicated Arthur Piatek, 18, of Round Lake, hit a 24-year-old Lake Villa man. Piatek was charged with was charged with battery and possession of alcohol by a minor.