A 16-year-old boy under the influence of alcohol and other substances harassed patrons of the Nittany Mall and trashed a store Saturday evening before police and security guards subdued him.

The boy's name is being withheld because he is a juvenile. His blood alcohol level and the substances the boy was suspected of consuming were not available for release. The investigation into the incident is continuing.

Cpl. Tom Dann of the State College Police Department said officers were dispatched to the Nittany Mall's Dollar General, 2901 E. College Ave., at about 6 p.m. Saturday for a report of a man causing a disturbance.

Two officers arrived at the scene to find the boy trapped in the Dollar General by a metal gate and several mall security guards, who attempted to keep him contained to one area of the store. He was reportedly tipping over shelves and breaking items, Dann said.

"A lot of damage was done to the merchandise," he said.

The officers approached the boy and told him to lie on the ground. The boy then moved toward the officers before he was sprayed with mace. He continued to move forward and allegedly attempted to hit both officers before he was sprayed again and wrestled to the ground, Dann said.

Dann said the boy was chanting words such as "die," the number six and yelling death threats. Paramedics were initially unable to treat the 16-year-old because he was too combative, he added.

Mall security would not comment yesterday about the incident.

A patron initially asked an employee to call security after the young man grabbed her by the arm.

Renée Petrina (senior-journalism, political science and graduate-media studies), a staff member of The Daily Collegian, said she was exiting the mall and saw the boy trying to operate a door. She tried to help him with the door before he swung at her and grabbed her arm. He then let go, and she exited the building.

Petrina then asked a mall employee to call security after two individuals outside said the boy had been behaving strangely, including lying in the parking lot.

Guards approached the boy in the Dollar General, and he became belligerent, she said. Several patrons exited the store before they were all asked to clear the area when police arrived, she added. Dollar General Manager Paula Graham said a damage estimate is not yet available. She said the boy caused significant damage in the area of the store around the cash register.

Several shelves were smashed, and merchandise was thrown around the store and broken. The store had to close for about two hours Saturday night until employees cleaned up.