30 officers needed to break up West Side party

Police question one man at a party of more than 400 on the far West Side. Police question one man at a party of more than 400 on the far West Side. Photo: By Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News Photo: By Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close 30 officers needed to break up West Side party 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

About 30 officers from the San Antonio Police Department were needed to quell a party of more than 400 Saturday night on the far West Side.

Police arrested two people at the party that took place near the intersection of South Ellison and Little Laurie drives

SAPD Sgt. Joe McKinney said police found between 400 and 500 individuals in the yard and street when officers responded.

"It created lots of traffic hazards," McKinney said.

A man, in his late teens to early 20s, who began yelling at police as they were attempting to speak to an organizer of the party was arrested and faces charges of inciting a riot and resisting arrest.

A second man was also arrested and will be charged with interfering with an arrest.

Despite officers having bottles and rocks thrown at them, McKinney said the police were able to disperse the crowd calmly.

"Our main interest was getting everyone out with as minimal force as possible," McKinney said, adding that they only had to use force on the man interfering with the arrest. "We wanted to get them out safely."

He said the crowd of people ranged in age from 16 to mid-30s.

As the crowd dwindled McKinney said some officers smelled marijuana but that there was no way to identify the person who had it.

Officers could be seen directing traffic as people left the party.

jbeltran@express-news.net