Police announce curfews, increased security in Short North
COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — The Short North Arts District will look a little different than normal this weekend.
In response to Sunday's mass shooting , which left 10 people injured, city leaders said there will be an increased police presence in the area, with patrols most prominent between midnight and 4:30 a.m.
Columbus police will also be enforcing a citywide curfew for juveniles. This comes as the search for the people responsible for last week's shooting is still ongoing. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said this is what they are doing for now, but anything is on the table.
"This response is really going to be focused on keeping people safe this weekend and in the weeks and months to come," Ginther said.
He said this weekend there will be an increased police presence in uniform, plain clothes and on bikes. Ginther said these officers will not be taken from other parts of the city; instead, they will be working voluntary overtime through " Operation Moonlight " and focusing on high-volume areas. There will also be more visible cameras and lights on the street.
Police will also be enforcing the already in-place curfew for youth. Anyone under the age of 13 must be home an hour after sunset, and anyone ages 14 to 17 must be home by midnight. Juveniles found violating the curfew will be taken to a holding center until they are picked up by their parents. The curfew ends at 4:30 a.m.
"Our officers will be looking for who they believe are youth after 12 a.m. We believe that this is about saving our youth. It's not about enforcement. It's not about punishment. It's about saving them from themselves," Assistant Police Chief LaShanna Potts said. "And really what's out there after 12 a.m for somebody that's 17 and under? We're just going to enforce the law that is already on the books."
City leaders say these decisions came after a meeting Tuesday night with Short North community members, police and city officials.
"There is deep concern over the safety of people's lives. I think that was the paramount concern that was conveyed," Betsy Pandora, the Executive Director of the Short North Alliance, said.
Potts said police still do not know how Sunday's incident started. She said they still believe there are at least four shooters and that police are receiving helpful tips.
"We are close to where we need to be. We're confident that the information we are receiving right now will lead us to the suspects in this shooting," Potts said.
City leaders encourage anyone who sees something out of the ordinary in the Short North this weekend to speak up.
"If you see something, say something. We're going to have a number of officers down here. They're going to be folks all over this neighborhood and neighborhoods throughout our city," Ginther said. "We all need to do our part and if there is someone exhibiting suspicious behavior or there's a situation that looks like it may get out of hand, please share that information with one of our uniformed officers so that we can all work together to keep everybody safe,"
