Boone County Fair introduces new safety measures after ‘incident involving juveniles’

COLUMBIA, Missouri (KMIZ)

The Boone County Fair announced in a press release and social media post Thursday that it would implement new safety measures for the remainder of the week.

The fair began Tuesday and is open through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Northeast Regional Park, 5212 Oakland Gravel Road.

The press release states that increased security measures will come into force on Thursday at the entrance gate and throughout the exhibition grounds.

In response to a comment on the fair organizer’s Facebook page asking why the change was made, it said: “There was an incident involving juveniles last night and we are taking extra precautions to ensure our fair remains a safe place for families.”

“Due to the increased number of visitors, there was an incident between some juveniles on the fairgrounds last night,” said Jessica Kempf, secretary of the Boone County Fair. “We worked with the CPD to defuse the situation very quickly, but we don’t want this to happen again. We want to have a family-friendly event, so we are taking these measures only as a precautionary measure.”

Two salespeople were able to describe what they saw during and after the incident.

“It was actually right here in front of the tent. The Columbia Police Department handled it very well. It didn’t escalate too badly,” said Daniel Aubuchon of Bass Pro Shop.

“I saw a little bit of it. It looked like there was a young gentleman running through the streets and the police detained him for a while. But then I saw them all walk away peacefully,” said MacKenzie Blakeman, owner of MacKenzie’s Blakery.

ABC 17 News reached out to Columbia Police but was unable to provide any further information.

According to the press release, the new measures include:

• Backpacks and large bags are not permitted. Only the following bags are allowed:
  – Bags made of clear plastic, vinyl or PVC with dimensions not exceeding 12 x 6 x 12 inches.
  – Guests may use a clear plastic freezer bag with a capacity of 3.8 litres.
  – Small clutches must not exceed 4.5″ x 6.5″ with or without handle or strap.
• Prior to entry, security screening may occur, including metal detectors and bag searches. All guests will be subject to a search. If prohibited items are discovered during screening, guests may dispose of them or return them to their vehicle.
• All alcohol, illegal drugs and paraphernalia will be confiscated, guests will be denied entry, and the Columbia Police Department will be notified.
• Loitering in the parking lot is not permitted and loitering persons are asked to leave the premises.
• Re-entry of the exhibition grounds is not permitted.
• Weapons, face masks and face coverings are strictly prohibited.
• The Columbia Police Department will maintain an increased presence throughout the fairgrounds during fair hours.

New signs at the entrance now read: “No backpacks, no re-entry, no face masks, no weapons, and all bags subject to search.”

The organizers expect that these security measures will be implemented annually from now on.