A Florida woman is facing charges after allegedly inciting a riot involving 500 people at a local skating rink. The incident occurred when Stephanie Pedroso, 36, encouraged her daughter’s friends to cause havoc at Astro Skate in Brandon, following the cancellation of her daughter’s birthday party. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that Pedroso was arrested on Thursday.
Pedroso had booked the rink for an after-hours birthday party on May 17, but failed to fulfill a contractual obligation to secure off-duty deputies for the event. As a result, the rink cancelled the party and issued Pedroso a refund. However, Pedroso responded by posting a video on her daughter’s social media account, urging her friends to show up at the rink and cause trouble.
In the video, Pedroso is heard using expletives and offering to pay those who would “tear the f–k out of them.” She also encouraged people to “make them crackers work” and “stress them the f–k out.”
On May 18, around 9:20 p.m., deputies were called to the rink in response to a crowd of 500 people causing disturbances. Despite orders to disperse, the crowd continued fighting, damaging nearby businesses, and disrupting operations. One individual was injured after being thrown through a window at a nearby barbershop and had to be transported to a hospital.
It took law enforcement nearly six hours to contain the situation, which resulted in damage to five local businesses. In total, 23 minors and three adults were arrested at the scene.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister condemned the incident, stating, “Using social media to encourage people to riot and destroy businesses is completely unacceptable, and we will not tolerate that here in Hillsborough County.” He added that the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible behavior and the potential consequences of inciting violence.
Pedroso was charged with inciting a riot, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and driving with a suspended, canceled, or revoked license. She was released from detention after posting a $2,500 bond. Her court date has not yet been announced.