LAWRENCE, Ind. — Overtime patrols have been approved by Lawrence Police leadership after three people were shot during a barrage of bullets Sunday night at Lawrence Community Park.
Lawrence Deputy Chief Gary Woodruff said more than 100 shell casings were found in the parking lot at the entrance to the park.
Witnesses told FOX59/CBS4 there were dozens of people at the main clubhouse at the front of the park. Many of those people ran as the shooting began.
“It’s beyond disappointing,” Woodruff said. “It’s maddening.”
Police said all three of the victims are expected to be okay, but neighbors are concerned.
“That’s what we’ve talked about, those bullets that go through homes,” said Barbara Drummond. She was walking her dog in the park Monday morning and lives close by.
Police reports show car windows were shot out, but no other damage was reported.
Neighbor Colleen Morgan’s home backs up to the park. She said she heard the gunfire Sunday night.
“There was just this big boom and there were two of those and it felt like it was right at the back of my patio,” Morgan said.
Morgan walks her dog in the park everyday and even comes out to watch t-ball games on the baseball diamonds in the parl.
“It’s been such a great place and we haven’t had anything like this,” Morgan said. “This is bad.”
In addition to the sports and dog walking, Woodruff said there will be more police in the park. Lawrence Police approved overtime patrols Monday morning.
”People will see a combination of both marked cars and unmarked cars,” Woodruff said. “Plainclothes detectives doing some surveillance. Obviously, we don’t want to be an occupying force but we want people to feel safe.”
Morgan said she is all for that.
“To know that there will be more patrolmen going through, that’s reassuring,” she said.
Woodruff said detectives are working right now to track down suspects in the shooting, including looking at nearby cameras.
“We do have the license plate readers cameras in both directions here,” Woodruff said, gesturing to Franklin Rd. in front of the park.
While there are not any cameras in the park, Woodruff said they will look to add some in the 2024 city budget.
The busiest time of the year for the Lawrence Community Park is coming up. Woodruff said they’re focused on being proactive with any further violence at the park.
“We’re coming up here to the premiere event here in Lawrence, our July Fourth and we will have a safe July Fourth,” Woodruff said.
Fireworks and other Fourth of July activities all happen at Lawrence Community Park. Woodruff said there will be thousands there in just less than a month.