06/04/2026
Sixteen-year-old Ortez Matthews thinks what Detroit teenagers want to do this summer is simple: Meet other teens, flirt and have new experiences.
âBe outside,â he said. âEverybody is going outside. They want to have fun. They want to have something to do besides stay in the house.â
For Matthews, that could mean water balloon fights, food trucks or some sort of festival geared toward teenagers.
He said before seeing whatâs gone down at the âteen takeovers,â Matthews might have joined other high schoolers in downtown Detroit. Now heâd only go to something supervised, after hearing about fights and seeing the crowds and media coverage. He hopes the city will open spaces where teens can gather safely.
In recent months, teenagers through social media have organized large gatherings across the city, referred to as teen takeovers. The events have garnered media attention in Detroit and cities across the country.
While most teens who turned out for the events were there for harmless fun, the gatherings have also been linked to fights, a shooting and an attempted robbery.
The events have prompted a visible response from city officials and police. At the same time, Mayor Mary Sheffieldâs administration has emphasized that enforcement alone wonât solve the problem. Sheâs looking to pair public safety measures with expanded youth programming and outreach efforts aimed at teens.
Photo credit: Cydni Elledge/Outlier Media
