kailat
Green Belt
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2006
- Messages
- 199
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- 17
The event that attracted several hundred people was broken up by an estimated 15 law enforcement officers and several K-9 dogs.
After the crowd was broken up, several of the attendees went down the road to the BP gas station on Wheeling and Centennial avenues, police said, where more fighting ensued and one person fired shots in the air, prompting officers to call for backup once again.
No arrests were made at either the fairgrounds or the gas station, Sgt. Joe Kresja of the City Police Department said.
You dont wade into a crowd unless youve got a lot (of officers), Kresja said, adding that because the officers were greatly outnumbered, arresting one person in a crowd could lead to the crowd rioting or attacking the officers.
According to Jane Lasater, county fair board president, the evening, sponsored by Guru Inc. and Alpha Gamma Alpha, was billed as a Halloweens Night of Mayhem and a voters awareness event featuring rap producer DJ Scream from Atlanta, Ga.
Fights broke out on three separate occasions, said Lasater, who was present.
Peace was first restored by a county sheriffs deputy, a fairgrounds maintenance man who was knocked down and injured when a door flew open, Lasater and security hired by the organizers.
After a second fight broke out, the deputy called for backup from his department, city police, state police and Ball State University police, Lasater said. That was about 11:45 p.m. Authorities agreed to allow the event to continue after the second fight.
But at about 12:35 a.m., a third fight occurred, Lasater said, and the event was shut down. The event was advertised to run until 3 a.m., but Lasater said she would not have allowed it to go past 1 a.m.
I heard there were 500 people there, Lasater said.
Two doors were damaged at Heartland Hall.
After the crowd was broken up, several of the attendees went down the road to the BP gas station on Wheeling and Centennial avenues, police said, where more fighting ensued and one person fired shots in the air, prompting officers to call for backup once again.
No arrests were made at either the fairgrounds or the gas station, Sgt. Joe Kresja of the City Police Department said.
You dont wade into a crowd unless youve got a lot (of officers), Kresja said, adding that because the officers were greatly outnumbered, arresting one person in a crowd could lead to the crowd rioting or attacking the officers.
According to Jane Lasater, county fair board president, the evening, sponsored by Guru Inc. and Alpha Gamma Alpha, was billed as a Halloweens Night of Mayhem and a voters awareness event featuring rap producer DJ Scream from Atlanta, Ga.
Fights broke out on three separate occasions, said Lasater, who was present.
Peace was first restored by a county sheriffs deputy, a fairgrounds maintenance man who was knocked down and injured when a door flew open, Lasater and security hired by the organizers.
After a second fight broke out, the deputy called for backup from his department, city police, state police and Ball State University police, Lasater said. That was about 11:45 p.m. Authorities agreed to allow the event to continue after the second fight.
But at about 12:35 a.m., a third fight occurred, Lasater said, and the event was shut down. The event was advertised to run until 3 a.m., but Lasater said she would not have allowed it to go past 1 a.m.
I heard there were 500 people there, Lasater said.
Two doors were damaged at Heartland Hall.
