Springfield Police urge safety following deadly shootings across the country on graduation season

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - With the last day of May coming to an end, graduation season is in full swing. Springfield Police and the city’s school district urge kids to celebrate responsibly. This as there has been a handful of deadly shootings at graduation parties across the country this month.

“We just want people to make smart decisions,” said Ryan Walsh.

The Springfield Police Department encourages families to have a safety plan in place if their child plans on attending or hosting a graduation party this season.

“We want parents to talk to their students,” said Walsh. “They’re going to these parties to celebrate an occasion, a milestone in life, we want them to get home safely so they can enjoy that next phase of their life.”

Springfield Police public information officer Ryan Walsh told Western Mass News it is important for parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of drinking and distracted driving and encourage using a designated driver or ride share to get home.

“We’re not going to be completely oblivious there’s going to probably be drinking and some other activity at graduation parties, but we want you to be safe we want you to have a plan to get home,” said Walsh. “If it gets out of control you can call the police and our officers will respond right away if a party needs to be broken up.”

Their calls for safety come in the wake of numerous shootings that have happened at graduation parties in the past month. Springfield Police superintendent Cheryl Claprood writes in a statement:

“From Manchester, New Hampshire to Georgia there have been a handful of shootings at graduation parties across the country, we don’t want to see someone’s hard work...End in tragedy due to invited or uninvited guests.”

“We talk about not putting these parties out on social media,” said Walsh. “Sometimes the word can spread and people from other areas come in and ruin a good time.”

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