On Saturday night, the New York City Sheriff's Department busted a large indoor gathering that, according to officials, had more than 200 people packed inside a building for an event going by the moniker "Rumble in the Bronx." This event was, according to authorities, part of an illegal fight club.
As a result, 10 organizers have been charged with crimes related to: illegal combat, loaded firearms, and the lack of a liquor license. More specifically, the event's CEO, Michael Roman, was hit with eight charges, including unlawful assembly and conducting a prohibited combat sport. Others arrested were not immediately identified by police.
In a sentence that sounds very much in line with the (occasional) concerns of the moment, NBC New York reports that attendees were "discovered drinking, smoking and fighting — without socially distancing" at the location.
NYC sheriffs entered the warehouse around 11:15 p.m. on Saturday night to find a crowd watching the fights take place.
The sheriff's office put out a statement in which they said, in part, "Patrons were also observed drinking alcohol, smoking, hookah, and not wearing face coverings while failing to social distance."
They also sent this tweet:
ABC 7 reports that this raid was just one in a string of busts intended to crackdown on similarly-sized gatherings that have been outlawed in an attempt to mitigate the spread of COVID. Though it's likely irrelevant if you're outside the area, a pair of other raids also broke up illegal gatherings made up of 200+ partygoers in Brooklyn and Chelsea.
