MAPLE SHADE, N.J. (WPVI) — A community carnival meant to raise money for a local youth football program shut down early Friday night after large crowds of teens caused disturbances and forced the cancellation of the event’s final and typically biggest night, police said.

The carnival, which benefits the Maple Shade Tigers youth football program, was scheduled to continue Saturday, but organizers called it off following the incident.

Police say several teens are now facing charges.

Witnesses described crowds leaving the area under police supervision.

“Just herds of kids walking out. Cops escorting them out,” said Cody Quick, a Maple Shade football parent.

Neighbors and carnival-goers said groups of teens were seen sprinting down nearby streets and fighting as the scene unfolded on Friday night.

Parents can be fined or charged for their kids’ bad behavior in a South Jersey town

Maple Shade police said officers were met with hostility as they worked to disperse the crowd.

“They were cursing at police officers. They were clearly trying to provoke physical confrontations with cops,” said Lt. Daniel O’Brien of the Maple Shade Police Department.

Police are reviewing videos posted to social media as part of their investigation.

Authorities say the footage appears to show teens fighting and officers attempting to break up crowds.

The event was shut down early Friday, and the cancellation of Saturday night resulted in significant financial losses for the youth football program.

“As a nonprofit, everything always goes back into the program…new equipment, uniforms, helmets,” said Thomas Oshinsky, president of the Maple Shade Tigers.

The incident comes after years of similar issues involving teens at community events and down the shore.

In January, then-Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation allowing police to fine parents of juveniles involved in certain disturbances.

In the most serious cases, parents could face jail time. Maple Shade police say they are exploring that option, but note the process will take time as investigators review video, identify suspects and locate their guardians.

“If your kid is leaving the house with a face mask to go to a carnival, I think that should be a sign that they might be getting themselves into trouble,” O’Brien said.

Police said following a similar incident at the carnival last year, the department increased police coverage and added surveillance cameras and a drone to monitor the event.

Officials added that initial reports of weapons at Friday’s incident were unfounded, and no serious injuries were reported.

Commuters traveling between New Jersey and Manhattan are about to pay a little more for their rides. Starting today, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has officially implemented a fare increase across the PATH system. It’s another hit for the wallet, but the increase comes with the most significant service expansion the 118-year-old system has seen in decades.

As of today, the base fare for a single ride on the PATH has increased by 25 cents, jumping from $3.00 to $3.25. This adjustment affects all standard payment methods, including TAPP, SmartLink and Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards.

Multi-trip options still offer a better deal for those looking to save. Bundles of 10, 20 or 40 trips via TAPP cards now average $3.10 per ride, up from the previous $2.85. Senior citizens and riders with disabilities will see a smaller adjustment, with reduced-fare tickets increasing by a dime to $1.60.

This is only the first of a series of increases, however, as the Port Authority has outlined a roadmap of 25-cent increases every January through 2029, at which point a single ride will reach $4.00.

The fare hike is immediate, but the payoff for commuters arrives on May 17, when the PATH restores full seven-day service across all four lines for the first time since 2001.

The highlight of these changes is the return of direct Hoboken–World Trade Center weekend service, ending a nearly 25-year hiatus. Additionally, the time-consuming “Hoboken detour” for Jersey City riders is being eliminated during peak weekend hours. Between 10am and 9pm, the Journal Square–33rd St and Hoboken–33rd St lines will run every 10 minutes, while the Hoboken–WTC line will run every 20 minutes.

Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia noted that these changes mark a “larger turning point” for the system. The increased revenue is earmarked for critical infrastructure upgrades and system reliability.

“These game-changing service enhancements and improved fare payment options are continuing to provide more frequent and reliable service to our customers,” said PATH Director/General Manager Clarelle DeGraffe. “Having seven-day service on all our lines is a blueprint for more frequent, faster, and more reliable service for our customers.”

Beyond weekend changes, the agency is also tackling late-night frustration; Friday night service will now run every 20 minutes until 2am, finally replacing the dreaded 40-minute wait times.

For the thousands of daily riders, the higher price may be unwelcome, but the tradeoff is more convenience and reliability, and dramatic future improvements. Find out more at www.panynj.gov.

New fares on the PATH trains

• 1-Trip Total Access PATH Payment (TAPP), 1-Trip SmartLink, PATH SingleRide Ticket, Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard: $3.25 per ride
• PATH 2-Trip MetroCard: $6.50, or $3.25 per ride
• 10-Trip on TAPP Card: $31, or $3.10 per ride20-Trip on TAPP Card: $62, or $3.10 per ride
• 40-Trip on TAPP Card: $124, or $3.10 per ride
• Reduced Fare: $1.60, or $1.60 per ride
• TAPP Unlimited 1-Day Pass: $12.50
• TAPP Unlimited 7-Day Pass: $42.75
• TAPP Unlimited 30-Day Pass: $131.50