ORGANIZERS ABOUT THE CHANGES THEY’RE MAKING. LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A SHOOTING HERE AT THE BENNETT EVENT CENTER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS ON THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE FAIR. THEY SAY THE MINOR WHO BROUGHT THE GUN IN NEVER WENT THROUGH A GATE. SO THEY’RE PUTTING MORE PATROLS OUTSIDE, BUT THEY’LL ALSO HAVE A CURFEW FOR ANYONE UNDER 18. WE WAITED FOR THE AFTER ACTION REPORT THAT WE GET FROM OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE. YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE AND ANYBODY ELSE IN THE FAIR BUSINESS HAS SEEN HAS BEEN WITH JUVENILES, KIDS UNACCOMPANIED AT THE STATE FAIR. IT’S AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION, BUT THAT’S THE NORM. ORGANIZERS SAY IT WON’T HAPPEN IN THE EVENINGS THIS YEAR. WE’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AND TRYING TO UPGRADE OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS. WE TAKE OUR LEAD FROM OTHER FAIRS AND FESTIVALS AROUND THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR, ANYONE UNDER 18 WILL HAVE TO BE WITH SOMEONE OVER 25 AFTER 5 P.M. QUITE FRANKLY, A LOT OF FAIRS AND FESTIVALS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS. WE JUST HAVEN’T FELT THE NEED. TO CHANGE. PROMPTED BY A SHOOTING ON THE FINAL WEEKEND OF 2023. FAIR BUT THAT’S NOT THE ONLY CHANGE WE WILL BE PATROLLING THE EXTERIOR PERIMETER OF THE FENCE BETTER THIS YEAR. WE’LL BE LIGHTING IT UP. WE’LL ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE. THEY’RE PLANNING A SAFER PERIMETER SINCE THE SHOOTER IN LAST YEAR’S INCIDENT DIDN’T GET IN THROUGH ONE OF THE GATES. CERTAINLY A LOT MORE TO WHAT WE’RE DOING THAN I’M ABLE TO SAY ON CAMERA, BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT TO SHOW OUR HAND. THE OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR STARTS NEXT MONTH
Oklahoma State Fair to enforce new curfew for minors after shooting at 2023's fair
The shooting during last year's fair prompted the change for 2024, but that's not the only change.
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Updated: 5:19 PM CDT Aug 12, 2024
With the Oklahoma State Fair around the corner, many are asking how they plan to keep the public safe after a shooting near the end of last year's fair.>> Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.During the last weekend of the 2023 Oklahoma State Fair, a 17-year-old pulled out a gun and shot someone at the Bennett Event Center in the middle of the fairgrounds. Fair officials said the minor who brought in the gun never went through a gate that would have detected the weapon, so they're putting more patrols outside and will have a curfew for anyone under 18."We waited for the after-action report that we get from Oklahoma City police, and most of the problems that we and anyone in the fair business has seen has been with juveniles," Scott Munz, with the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, said. "It's an unfortunate situation, but that's the norm."Fair organizers say it won't happen in the evenings this year. "We're constantly looking and trying to upgrade our security protocols. We take our lead from other fairs and festivals around the country," Munz said.This year, anyone under 18 must be with someone over 25 after 5 p.m."Quite frankly, a lot of fairs and festivals have been doing this for quite a few years. We just haven't felt the need," Munz said.The shooting during last year's fair prompted the change for 2024, but that's not the only change.>> Download the KOCO 5 App"We will be patrolling the exterior perimeter of the fence better this year. We'll be lighting it up. We'll actually have people out there," Munz said.They're planning a safer perimeter since the shooting in last year's incident didn't get in through one of the gates."There's certainly a lot more to what we're doing than I'm able to say on camera because we don't want to show our hand," Munz said.The Oklahoma State Fair runs Sept. 12-22. Click here to learn more about the fair.Top Headlines 4 juveniles arrested after leading Oklahoma City police on chase Fly like Iron Man. Join a battle in Wakanda. Here are the major theme park projects Disney has announced Cleveland County teenager escapes floodwaters after truck was swept away Fourth victim in Sundance Airport plane crash identified as 68-year-old American gymnast Jordan Chiles must return bronze medal after court mandates score change, IOC says
OKLAHOMA CITY — With the Oklahoma State Fair around the corner, many are asking how they plan to keep the public safe after a shooting near the end of last year's fair.
>> Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
During the last weekend of the 2023 Oklahoma State Fair, a 17-year-old pulled out a gun and shot someone at the Bennett Event Center in the middle of the fairgrounds. Fair officials said the minor who brought in the gun never went through a gate that would have detected the weapon, so they're putting more patrols outside and will have a curfew for anyone under 18.
"We waited for the after-action report that we get from Oklahoma City police, and most of the problems that we and anyone in the fair business has seen has been with juveniles," Scott Munz, with the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, said. "It's an unfortunate situation, but that's the norm."
Fair organizers say it won't happen in the evenings this year.
"We're constantly looking and trying to upgrade our security protocols. We take our lead from other fairs and festivals around the country," Munz said.
This year, anyone under 18 must be with someone over 25 after 5 p.m.
"Quite frankly, a lot of fairs and festivals have been doing this for quite a few years. We just haven't felt the need," Munz said.
The shooting during last year's fair prompted the change for 2024, but that's not the only change.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
"We will be patrolling the exterior perimeter of the fence better this year. We'll be lighting it up. We'll actually have people out there," Munz said.
They're planning a safer perimeter since the shooting in last year's incident didn't get in through one of the gates.
"There's certainly a lot more to what we're doing than I'm able to say on camera because we don't want to show our hand," Munz said.
The Oklahoma State Fair runs Sept. 12-22. Click here to learn more about the fair.
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