KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Saige Dickinson was counting down the days to Worlds of Fun opening weekend.

He and his wife are season ticket holders and got to the amusement park early Saturday morning.

“Everyone is just taking pictures of test running and like, oh, it’s finally here,” Dickinson said. “The day’s here to ride coasters.”

Dickinson is a roller coaster enthusiast and makes TikTok videos about the rides at Worlds of Fun.

“The thrill,” Dickinson said, “riding front seat and getting the wind smacked in your face.”

But his experience was cut short when hundreds of unsupervised teenagers started fighting.

Officials said a teenage girl was arrested after she allegedly punched a Clay County sheriff’s deputy in the face at Worlds of Fun on Saturday evening.

It happened as a number of off-duty officers working security at the amusement park tried to control a massive crowd of up to 150 teenagers.

The large crowd began fighting around 7:30 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies and Kansas City police officers working security at the amusement park worked with Worlds of Fun security to break up the crowd.

According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, fights continued to happen among the teenagers as security worked to move the crowd closer to the exit.

A teenage girl refused to leave Worlds of Fun and instead allegedly punched a deputy in the face. He suffered superficial injuries. The teenager was arrested and released to her parents.

The fighting continued in the parking lot, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies and police officers broke up those fights and cleared the park about an hour later.

Worlds of Fun said it doesn’t want any guest to experience what happened Saturday night.

On Saturday evening, a number of guests were removed from the park due to unruly behavior and altercations. Park Security, the Clay County Sheriff, and Kansas City Missouri Police Departments, who were on site, responded quickly. This behavior was not the experience we want any guest to have while visiting Worlds of Fun. We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and believe those responsible should be held accountable. The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority.

Worlds of Fun Statement

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said none of the teenagers involved in the fight appeared to be accompanied by an adult. 

“I was pretty surprised about what happened,” said Sarah Boyd, a spokesperson for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. “To have that large scale of issue there is pretty unusual.”

Boyd said the department hasn’t received a call like this in years.

“The drop off zone needs to be closed,” Dickinson said. “It needs to be done, and I suggest that if you’re under 18, you need to have a parent supervised with you at all times.”