U.S. authorities said social media may have contributed to multiple incidents of mall violence in at least nine states.

Groups of people, mostly teens, were arrested after carrying out fights in packed malls, causing several to close down on Monday, and local police departments said many incidents were the result of quarrels on social media.

In Manchester, Connecticut, seven people were arrested Monday after a fight broke out in a mall that drew hundreds of spectators. Manchester police said a series of social media posts may have led to the fight.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a fight Monday described by police as "organized on social media" involving a large group of teens brought a local mall to a lockdown. Police arrested one juvenile.

In Aurora, Illinois, fights broke out Monday at a mall in the suburbs of Chicago, and police evacuated more than 1,000 patrons at the mall and arrested seven people. Local police said they were investigating on social media to see whether the fight was preplanned.

In Aurora, Colorado, a post online announcing a fight in a mall drew more than 500 people Monday and created large disturbances. One off-duty officer was surrounded by an unruly crowd as he tried to escort one person involved in the fight. The mall was closed subsequently.

Police in Fort Worth, Texas, said they were alerted that a post online may be staging fights at a local mall.

Similar incidents also took place in the states of New York, New Jersey, North Carolina and Tennessee.

source: Xinhua