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Fish Dying After Water Gun Fight In Balboa Park Pond

SAN DIEGO (CBS/AP) — San Diego police are investigating a huge water-gun fight that left landmark lily ponds at Balboa Park trashed, bashed and partly drained, causing an estimated $10,000 in damage.

U-T San Diego says at least 1,500 people took part in the pre-dawn fight on Sunday that was organized on social media, including Facebook.

Organizers specifically urged participants to avoid the century-old lily ponds but authorities say some trampled new landscaping, killed koi fish, destroyed ornate floating Victorian lilies, broke a drain pipe and collapsed some planters.

The prank — advertised as the "2nd Annual Midnight Water Gun Fight @ Balboa Park" on Yelp and social media sites — is expected to leave most of the koi fish dead and almost all of the lilies destroyed.

No arrests have been made.

U-T San Diego says organizers of the event are asking people to donate money to cover the damages.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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