Twitch streamer and YouTube creator charged on multiple counts
UPDATE (11:54am): Kai Cenat was released from NYPD custody during the overnight hours, according to WNBC.
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Police urged people to avoid Manhattan's Union Square as they try to contain the fallout from a reported game console giveaway event hosted by a popular YouTuber on Friday.
A crowd of several hundred people gathered to take part in the "huge giveaway," which promised free PlayStation consoles.
The event was hosted by Twitch streamer and YouTube creator Kai Cenat.
Despite the pandemonium, police have said there were no reports of any significant injuries in the first hour of the event's fallout.
NYPD responds
What exactly sparked the crowd to turn unruly isn't yet clear, but by 3:30pm, the chaos was underway, prompting the highest level of police mobilization.
According to a spokesperson, the New York Police Department (NYPD) called in an estimated 1,000 officers to respond to the escalating situation, which resulted in nearly 65 arrests, 30 of which were children under the age of 18.
Cenat was eventually pulled out from the crowd and placed into custody. Cenat is expected to be charged with multiple counts, including incitement of a riot and unlawful assembly.
Cenat has been making online content since 2018 and is known for having a large fan base. In February of this year, Cenat became the most-subscribed Twitch streamer of all time, with more than 100,000 subscribers.
