Juveniles responsible for firework frenzy at Monroe parade identified

Police say charges are pending

MONROE, GA (Dec. 5, 2025) – During Thursday night’s Christmas parade in Monroe, a commotion broke out in the area of Court Street after a series of bangs were heard. Although the noise of the parade drowned out the sound for most except for those spectators who were close by, the immediate police activity was noticed and it didn’t take long for social media to be begin reporting the possibility of a shooting.

When asked about the incident while the parade was still under way, Monroe Police Chief R.V. Watts was quick to let it be known that it was actually a group of juveniles who had set off a series of fireworks and not any shooting incident. Monroe Police Department subsequently put out a social media post reassuring the public know that no shooting had occurred, and offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the identification of the individual or group responsible for discharging the fireworks.

By Friday evening, MPD were able to give an update advising that the juveniles believed to be responsible for the incident had been identified and charges were pending.

“In recent years, communities across the nation have experienced incidents of public chaos, false alarms, and critical events that can rapidly create fear and confusion in crowded environments. Because of these realities, the Monroe Police Department implemented enhanced strategic planning measures for an event of this magnitude. As a result, multiple officers were within yards of the location at the time the fireworks were set off, and at no point was there an active threat to parade spectators or participants,” MPD reported in the press release.