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Celebration turns to chaos ahead of South Haven fireworks show

Posted at 4:17 PM, Jul 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-04 17:31:19-04

SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. -- After a chaotic night Sunday on South Haven's North Beach, things look much calmer there Monday.

Thousands of people were at the beach ahead of the "Light up the Lakes" fireworks show Sunday, but they were evacuated by police after reports of fights and unruly crowds.

Police say people also started throwing glass bottles at each other.

The evacuation happened despite extra precautions taken by South Haven Police, including checking coolers and bags for alcohol and staffing extra officers.  There were between 80 and 90 officers on patrol for the event.

A teen who was at the beach captured several videos of the scene.   Darius Ledbetter, 17, said he has been coming to the beach for years for the Fourth of July celebration, but has never seen it like it was Sunday.

"People were just throwing bottles, coolers; people were throwing anything they could get their hands on" Ledbetter said.