Teens can no longer visit Westfield Montgomery Mall without an adult after 3 p.m.

The Bethesda shopping center's new "Parental Guidance Policy" took effect Sept. 28. The rule requires all visitors under 18 to be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or chaperone age 21 or older every day from 3 p.m. until close, according to the mall's policy page. The same rule applies at Westfield Wheaton.

The policy covers the entire mall property, inside and out. One supervising adult may accompany up to four minors. Teens who work at the mall are exempt.

Mall security enforces the rules through ID checks. Unaccompanied minors will be told to leave or call a parent. Repeated violations can lead to removal, a ban or a trespassing citation from the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

MCPD told The MoCo Show that police get involved "only when an individual needs to be trespassed" and that enforcement "remains solely the responsibility of the mall."

The restrictions follow several violent incidents at both malls in 2026. On July 31, a 17-year-old allegedly shot and injured a 13-year-old boy inside Westfield Wheaton near a children's play area, according to Fox 5.

An armed mall security officer apprehended the suspect. Accounts differ on the specific charge: Bethesda Magazine reported attempted second-degree murder, while WTOP reported first-degree assault.

Before the shooting, police increased patrols at Westfield Wheaton after a Feb. 4 stabbing and a March 16 assault, both involving teens, according to Bethesda Magazine. Fox 5 reported a separate teen fight at Westfield Montgomery earlier in the summer after someone displayed a gun.

Heather Menis, a public relations representative for Westfield, said in a Sept. 21 statement to Bethesda Magazine that the malls had seen "an increase in disruptive behavior by a small minority of younger visitors." Menis added that similar policies are in place at Westfield locations in California and New Jersey.

Andrea Campzono, a store manager at Westfield Montgomery, told The Sentinel she has mixed feelings. "I think it's 50-50," Campzono said. "I think it can be good for the community, but at the same time, it's unfair to the kids that are here to buy something and have fun, not just fool around."

Isa Serrano, a 17-year-old senior at Walt Whitman High School, told The Sentinel that a security guard approached her during an unsupervised visit and asked her to leave after being unable to verify her age. Serrano said she considers the policy an overreach that could hurt mall businesses by discouraging teen shoppers.

The policy applies to common areas and inline retailers. Restaurant and department store policies may vary, according to the mall. Management may adjust the curfew hours during the holiday season.

The full policy is posted at westfield.com.