LAKE CITY, Fla. – The Columbia County sheriff, in an open letter Tuesday, urged civilian community leaders to join law enforcement in denouncing violence after a large, “unlawful” Easter Sunday gathering at Annie Mattox Park that he said posed significant risks to the surrounding neighborhood.
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Sheriff Wallace Kitchings said the event drew at least 1,500 to 3,000 attendees, many of whom were not residents. He said it was difficult to maintain public safety.
“Large, dense crowds in open, uncontrolled environments often lead to blocked roadways, limiting access for emergency responders such as law enforcement, fire rescue, and medical personnel,” Kitchings said in the letter.
Read the full letter below.
He said the public use of drugs and alcohol at the event could have met the definition of an unlawful assembly.
“What was also not widely seen was the number of local residents who approached law enforcement during the course of this event, requesting that peace and order be restored as the event spilled beyond the designated area,” the sheriff said.
He also referenced a recent incident where someone was shot during a drive-by. Last April, there was a law enforcement officer who was injured in the shooting.
“That officer still has lasting effects from that incident,” the sheriff said. “This underscores the reality that without proper controls, security measures, and appropriate venue limitations, events like this can escalate quickly and result in serious harm to the public.”
“I, nor the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office will stand idly by and allow this type of behavior to continue during large scale planned and unorganized events,” Kitchings wrote.
He praised deputies who worked the gathering, saying they were “more than patient and long-suffering, many times maintaining their professionalism throughout the evening while being cursed at, mocked, and ridiculed by those they were there to protect who were in attendance.”
Kitchings called on community leaders to denounce violence publicly and urged better planning for future events.
“In the future, we encourage organizers to develop structured plans that include clear expectations of the attendees, safety considerations, and open communication with your local law enforcement and public safety partners,” he wrote. “We look forward to working together for a safer future for all.”