Cell phones stolen, woman hospitalized at Great America's Halloween Haunt: witnesses

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KTVU staff) - Days before Halloween, a mob of young people, possibly armed with Tasers, assaulted and robbed amusement park guests at California's Great America in Santa Clara during the last day of the Halloween Haunt, park security, a park employee and one visitor told KTVU. Others described scenes of violence and mayhem on social media. One man said his wife was a victim and was taken to the hospital with a concussion.

People at the park sent KTVU video of the aftermath, showing crowds leaving the park about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, and ambulances, fire trucks and Santa Clara police cars arriving on scene.

Santa Clara police estimated that about 100 youth were perpetrating the mayhem when about 20,000 visitors were in the park during the final night of the Great America Haunt, police told the Mercury News.

Lt. Dan Moreno told KTVU that police made two arrests, a juvenile for theft and an adult being drunk in public.

A Great America spokesman confirmed the police activity, but would not say much.

"There were incidents on October 28 that required assistance from Santa Clara police, which were addressed," Roger Ross said. "The safety of our guests is our top priority."

A man named Miguel Cortes emailed KTVU to say that the park shut down after teens committed "20 robberies" of cellphones inside the park, and one person was "tased by the group and several people were physically assaulted by the suspects."

He said he wife was one of the victims. Her cell phone was stolen, he said, and she was taken to the hospital for a concussion.

Others on Twitter said they were punched and evacuated.