Police officers from across San Mateo County descended on the Miss Tonga USA pageant early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted after a brawl went out of control in Burlingame.
About 50 officers from the entire county responded to a distress call from officers patrolling the beauty pageant at the San Francisco Airport Marriott at 1800 Old Bayshore Highway. The gunshots rang out during a fight in the hotel parking lot just after 1 a.m. when the pageant let out.
A small group of officers tried to break up the fight, but quickly called for backup when the gunshots began. Officers from as far away as Menlo Park arrived on scene and by the time the situation was under control one man was taken into custody for resisting arrest.
The pageant attracted about 1,000 people to the hotel. One Tongan woman was chosen to represent the Tongan Consulate General of San Francisco in beauty pageants later this year in Sydney, Australia and her home country.
Burlingame Police Department suspected problems could erupt at the event and alerted other agencies Friday afternoon. The alert is often sent out when large gathering or parties are being held and pose a possible security risk that could require additional officers.
In response to the early morning fight, about 20 San Mateo County Sheriff's Office deputies patrolled the county Expo Center where about 1,000 Tongans attended a cultural music festival Saturday. The Expo Center, located just down the street from the San Mateo Police Department, remained peaceful Saturday afternoon, said Sgt. Tim Miles.
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