Mike Wolanin | The Republic Personal effects are seen on a table surrounded by caution tape after four people were shot on the basketball court at Lincoln Park in Columbus, Ind., Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Copyright, The Republic, Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ind. — City leaders are reviewing security measures at Lincoln Park following Tuesday night’s shooting in which four victims were shot while playing basketball, at a time the park was filled with visitors playing softball, kickball and skating at the Hamilton Ice Arena.
“This is a tragedy that we had hoped would never show up in Columbus, but here it is,” said Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop.
Both the park and the nearby Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena are currently open, said Columbus Parks Director Mark Jones. The department does not plan to change the park’s hours at this time.
“Our prayers go out to the victims and the families,” said Jones. “And there were a number of spectators that were present at the time of the incident, both, again, at Lincoln as well as Hamilton.”
Moving forward, the city will continue to review the incident and provide counseling to witnesses and those who were among the first responders to the scene, Lienhoop said.
While they do not expect further incidents, Jones said there will be extra Columbus Police Department patrols around the park for the “foreseeable future.”
“We just got the lighting at Hamilton. We have recently, over the last couple of years, put in cameras inside and out. So we’ve got some outside cameras. … There’s no cameras currently at Lincoln Park, the diamonds themselves.”
There are no security cameras in the area where the shooting occurred, he said.
However, Lienhoop noted that there are cameras at a nearby Columbus City Utilities facility.
In general, the mayor said the city will look to Columbus Police Department for its analysis of the situation, including whether Lincoln Park, and this shooting site in particular, warrants special attention.
He noted that it’s a “difficult balance” to keep park visitors safe while also providing drive access to amenities within the park.
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.
