Carnival in Lake in the Hills is shut down; teens ‘with intentions to disrupt and cause trouble’ blamed

A carnival in Lake in the Hills was closed down Saturday evening after “a significant number of unchaperoned teenagers” showed up, organizers said.

The spring carnival at Randall and Algonquin roads was supposed to operate until 10 p.m. Saturday, but by 8 p.m. the At Home parking lot was empty and the rides motionless following what witnesses said was a large police presence.

[ UPDATE: No gunshots but 'multiple fights' reported before carnival shut down in Lake in the Hills, police say ]

The Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce put out a statement on Facebook offering “our sincerest apologies” for the early shutdown and citing an “unexpected surge in attendance, fueled by the beautiful weather [that] unfortunately led to overcrowding.”

“Additionally, a significant number of unchaperoned teenagers, with intentions to disrupt and cause trouble, descended upon the Carnival and shopping centers in the area,” the chamber statement continued.

The carnival was to continue Sunday afternoon. There was no specific mention of Sunday’s plans but it appeared from the statement that the carnival would not reopen.

“Regrettably, in the interest of safety, we chose to close the Carnival earlier than planned. We understand the disappointment this decision may have caused, especially to the children and families who were looking forward to a day of joy and fun,” the Chamber statement said. ”Please know that the safety and enjoyment of our community are always our top priorities, and we will take measures to ensure that future events are better equipped to handle unexpected circumstances.”

The Chamber also apologized to the surrounding businesses that may have been impacted by the behavior of those individuals intent on causing trouble,” the chamber wrote.

Tony Maldonado, one of the managers at a nearby Taco Bell, said he had some trouble with teens from the carnival parking in the restaurant’s lot and bothering customers.

“It just got crazy for a bit,” he said of teens he said were fighting in the parking lot.

Police could not immediately be reached. Authorities had put out an alert advising people to avoid the area. St. Charles-based Windy City Amusements, which operated the carnivals, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.