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Gunshots at Screen on the Green
What's happening to this city?? Does anybody remember when you used to be able to take your family to events in Atlanta and not worry about getting shot?
http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/screen-on-the-green-541577.html
Screen on the Green turns ugly, with fights, reports of gunshots
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 9:54 a.m. Friday, June 4, 2010
Thursday night's "Screen on the Green" movie at Piedmont Park ended early because of "safety concerns" after a large fight in the crowd was followed by what some audience members described as gunshots or a stun gun being fired.
The screening of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" was cut short and an announcement was made that there were technical difficulties with the movie.
Peachtree TV, sponsor of the movie series, released the following statement Friday morning:
"Thursday night?s Screen on the Green event in Piedmont Park was ended early due to safety concerns. Event sponsor Peachtree TV ? in consultation with the Atlanta Police Department, private security and the company that operates the event ? stopped the movie 20 minutes early and worked with the Piedmont Park Conservancy and APD to safely vacate the area. Last night?s events are currently under review by APD, Peachtree TV, the City of Atlanta Parks Department and the Conservancy."
One man who went to the park with his wife and some friends told the AJC in an early morning e-mail Friday that about 15 minutes into the movie, "everyone's attention was diverted to the back end of the event where a group fight was taking place.
"There seemed to be no police presence and after about 10 minutes of this brawl, it broke up with a group of people running into the dark," the man, who asked to be identified only as Ron, wrote. "Just as things started to settle back down, a few gunshots rang out and the crowd started trampling the area trying to flee the scene."
Some other movie-goers, however, said they didn't hear any gunshots, but that they did hear a Taser being used by someone in the crowd.
"It was an absolute mob scene, from the Chick-fil-A girls getting mobbed trying to hand out free sandwiches to the complete lack of respect for the people watching the movie," said Marc Freund.
"After enduring the first 30 minutes of the movie with people walking around and screaming, we decided to leave," Freund told the AJC. "As we left, we heard a Taser going off in the back, followed by people screaming and running."
"There was some background noise that started to get louder and louder in that area, and then suddenly as it got really loud, people right behind us were screaming and running away," said Hannah Lodge. "The crowd was fairly hysterical."
Midtown resident Jeff Keesee said there were "gangs of kids roaming the aisles, doing stunts to get crowd reactions. People just standing around talking, yelling -- disrespect, rudeness, unruliness -- a total disaster."
Ron wrote that as his group headed to their cars, he saw a group of "high school-aged kids" throwing rocks at passing vehicles. One of the rocks "completely shattered the back window" of one of the cars, he said.
He said many of the children in the crowd were "scared and crying."
"I can remember a time when Screen on the Green was great family fun and we always looked forward to going," he wrote. "I think this will be our last time going and our friends agree that they will no longer go either."
"Up until the drought, I never missed a Screen on the Green in Piedmont Park," Keesee told the AJC. "I was so excited it was allowed back in. After tonight's debacle, I will work tirelessly to have it shut down unless something is done to improve crowd control."
Keesee said he didn't see a single police officer as the situation got "completely out of control."
The weekly movie series began on May 27 and is scheduled to continue on Thursday nights through June 24.
The outdoor series, which is in its 11th year, was held the past two summers in Centennial Olympic Park because of drought restrictions at Piedmont Park.
Atlanta police Friday had not responded to e-mails and phone calls requesting comment.
Re: Gunshots at Screen on the Green
i hate this. if stuff like this continues to happen, atl is going to have less and less outdoor events like this.
Adventures of A Girl and Her Apron
It was up to the sponsors of SOTG to get security which can include off-duty police officers. Obviously, they underestimated the security needs last night.
Probably more related to the overall incompetence of the Atlanta police department. Which is also related to budget cuts, though. Maybe if the city paid officers enough to attract people who don't have criminal records, these sorts of things would happen less frequently.