Local police agencies struggled to control an unruly crowd of more than 200 people after officers responded to an early morning brawl at Auburn's Falcon Lanes on Sunday, the Auburn Police Department said.

The incident has prompted a police referral to the state Liquor Authority against the facility.

Lt. Shawn Butler said officers talked to a bouncer who was concerned there could be underage drinking going on inside about 12:30 a.m.

At 1:24 a.m., the bouncer flagged down nearby officers and asked them for assistance fearing that a fight had already occurred or was going to occur as people left the facility, Butler said. At the time of the incident, there were guests from two private parties inside, in addition to the regular bar crowd.

As people left the building, police began to break up fights while attempting to disperse the crowd, Butler said.

As a result, one officer suffered minor injuries as police arrested four individuals.

Units from the Cayuga and Onondaga county sheriffs' offices, state police in Elbridge and Aurelius as well as the Skaneateles Police Department responded to help APD officers control the situation, Butler said.

“We believe there was fighting in the back of the building and everybody spilled outside,” Butler said. “It was an uncontrollable mess. In a situation like that, officers are in survival mode. As officers arrested some people and placed them into a car, they had to take them to the station because they were afraid people in the crowd would let them back out of the car.”

Officers charged Brandon Malik Tape, 20, of 45 Grant Ave., Auburn, with harassment, a violation, after he was accused of pushing an officer who was attempting to disperse the crowd, Butler said. Tape was also charged with resisting arrest and attempted criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, after he tried to break out of a squad car and with possessing a prohibited weapon, police said.

Deyquan Lee Dale, 21, of 108 Park Place, Auburn, was charged with third-degree misdemeanor assault after he allegedly kicked an officer who pulled him out of a separate fight with another individual, Butler said. According to incident reports, Dale believed the officer was another patron who was attempting to attack him from behind.

That officer suffered minor injuries to the face and was treated and released from Auburn Memorial Hospital, Butler said.

Eugene Watson, 45, of 5 Grover St., apartment 3, Auburn, was charged with misdemeanor obstructing governmental administration, and harassment, a violation, after he allegedly pushed two officers who were arresting Dale, Butler said.

Justin Michael Tillman, 22, of 12 Cady St., Auburn, was charged with disorderly conduct and carrying a prohibited weapon, both violations and criminal possession of a cocaine and possession of marijuana, both misdemeanors, Butler said.

Dale and Watson were released on $500 bail while Tillman and Tape were scheduled to be arraigned in Auburn City Court.

As a result of the incident, Butler said the department has filed a report with the state Liquor Authority accusing the owners of the Falcon Lanes building, which was sold by the Polish Falcons Nest 74 in 2007, of violating their liquor license by not having adequate staff available to control the crowd, which resulted in a disorderly premise.

Bill Crowley, a spokesperson for the state Liquor Authority, said that while the maximum penalty for violating a liquor license is $10,000 and revocation of the license, he did not believe that would happen if the Falcon Lanes were found to be guilty.

“It's their first time being reported so that's unlikely; they would probably be looking at a fine,” Crowley said. “But it depends on the circumstances. Everything is handled on a case by case basis.”

Gary Feldman, owner of Falcon Lanes, refused to comment about the police report, but said there was one bouncer on duty Sunday morning and that was enough to handle the 125 people that he believes were inside the building.

“It happened outside, nothing happened inside,” Feldman said. “We didn't see anything.”

Feldman also said there was no underage drinking on Sunday and that he will hold a staff meeting to ensure that there are no more incidents in the future.

Police are still investigating the incident and more arrests are pending. Anyone with information regarding the brawl is asked to call police at 253-3235.

Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net