UPDATED 2:47 P.M. 2/13/24
PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria wants one of two Fourth of July fireworks shows in the city called off this year.
Echevarria says after two shootings and a stabbing in the area of Glen Oak Park after their show on July third last year, enough is enough.
“My job is to be concerned about the public safety of our whole community – that community, as well as the rest of the city. That’s what I’m doing,” Echevarria said to 25 News. “Yes, I’m asking ‘please shut down (the) July 3rd event.'”
Echevarria tells 25 News in addition to the violence, it takes a lot of time and effort to wrap up a special detail like that one, especially when they have to turn around and do it all again the next day for “Red, White, and Boom” downtown.
Peoria Park District Board of Trustees president Robert Johnson, Senior answers with a “no, thank you.”
“There are some individuals that don’t want to behave, and come into our parks. What are we going to do: shut everything down?” said Johnson, to 25 News. “No. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to deal with it. We’re going to figure out some kind of ways to let them know that this is not going to play in Peoria.”
Johnson says the city’s violence prevention funding should be addressing the issue, not canceling an event.
Echevarria, meanwhile, says if the show must go on, Peoria Police won’t turn its back on the community.
Comments