CHAOS AT CHURCH CARNIVAL: Massive Teen Brawl Shuts Down Ohio Catholic Festival, 11 Arrested

BEXLEY, Ohio — A family-friendly church fundraiser turned into a wild teen free-for-all Friday night, with hundreds of rowdy youngsters brawling at St. Catharine Catholic Church’s annual FunFest, forcing cops to swarm the scene, shut it all down, and make 11 arrests.

The popular event at the east Columbus parish, known for rides, games, live music, food, and a beer truck, drew an estimated 500 to 800 teenagers who turned the grounds into a battle zone around 7 p.m. on June 5.

Shocking video from the scene shows chaotic crowds of kids sprinting across grass and pavement, with groups throwing punches, yanking hair, and sparking a panicked stampede as police moved in. Initial reports of gunshots rang out, but authorities later confirmed no weapons were found.

Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler blasted the mayhem in a social media post, saying multiple large fights among teens forced an immediate shutdown. Cops from Bexley and Columbus rushed in with a massive response, over 100 cruisers at one point, to clear the area and disperse the crowd.

As the party scattered, trouble spilled into nearby streets. Teens reportedly robbed a Bexley CVS on Main Street and caused theft and vandalism at other stores, including possible incidents at a Giant Eagle. In total, 11 people were arrested in connection with the fights and the surrounding criminal mischief.

The parish didn’t mess around. By late Friday night, St. Catharine of Siena Church announced on Facebook that the remainder of FunFest 2026 was canceled outright, a gut punch for the event, which was supposed to run through Saturday night and serves as the church’s biggest annual fundraiser for its school and ministries.

In a statement, the church expressed “great disappointment” but prioritized safety: “We are deeply grateful... Most importantly, we thank God that no one was seriously injured.” The silent auction and 50/50 raffle continued online.

Locals described the scene as a “teen takeover,” with kids flooding the normally quiet, upscale Bexley area, just across the line from Columbus. One Reddit user noted it felt like “the first week after school was out” before cops descended en masse.

City leaders praised the fast police response. Mayor Kessler and others urged parents to keep tighter reins on their kids, with Columbus City Council President Shannon G. Hardin calling out the violence that “disrupted” the community event.