Illegal fireworks flew into a crowd Saturday night in a residential area of Hollister and injured five juveniles ages 12 and under, a fire department official confirmed.
One of the children, a 12-year-old boy, was in critical condition when airlifted to a trauma center, said Capt. Leo Alvarez of the Hollister Fire Department at the scene shortly after the incident on the Fourth of July. Alvarez said the other children were also injured and transported to a hospital for treatment.
Police arrested a male suspect from a home on that same block—near the intersection of Brigantino and El Toro drives—where the fireworks flew into a crowd. Alvarez said the suspect had been shooting off illegal fireworks from a launcher placed in the middle of the residential street.
Authorities responded at 9:36 p.m. to the incident, said Alvarez, who confirmed it was illegal fireworks, which leave the ground, causing the injuries. He said there were 50 to 100 people outside on the block when fireworks flew horizontally into the crowd.
After police and fire personnel left the scene, violence erupted—and punches were thrown—at the home where the man had been arrested.
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