United Center evacuated after fights during basketball championship game

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The United Center was evacuated and Chicago police responded to the scene after fights broke out during a community basketball league championship game Monday night.

The championship game was scheduled for the West Haven Community Safe Summer Basketball League.

Security stopped letting people into the event when the crowd reached the maximum of 10,000 fans. In the stands of what was supposed to be a night devoted to youth basketball and safety, a fight broke out.

"A couple guys got into a fist fight and girls jumped in, it was a big brawl basically," said Sierra Sanders, witness.

From there, witnesses said, it only got worse.

"It was humongous, maybe 200 people all just scattered around. Everyone ran. They said they had a gun, I don't know what happened with that, but everyone ran," Sanders said. "We couldn't get through, it was like roaches going crazy. Everyone was everywhere, it was hard finding an exit."

Outside sources said angry fans who were turned away went head to head with angry fans who couldn't get in. That's when swarms of police officers moved in.

"It was a lot of people coming, a lot of gangs fighting and stuff, and then the police kicked us out and they announced there's too much violence and people are in danger so they have to close it down," said Armani Coleman, witness.

The full scale brawl quickly cut short a championship game for two of the city's best high school basketball teams, capping off a long summer of game time fights.

Police have not said if any arrests were made.