Fights, pepper spray incidents prompt new child entry policy at Fest-a-Ville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Several fights broke out Saturday and Sunday nights at Fest-a-Ville caused Kentucky Derby Festival to place a new limit on how many children adults can bring with them.

Previously adults 21 and older could bring in six children. That number has dropped down to three children per adult 21 years old and older.

Aimee Boyd, a spokesperson for KDF, said there were fights outside of Fest-a-Ville Sunday after the event closed early.

Boyd said teens were also pepper spraying each other, and Fest-a-Ville goers were caught up in the commotion.

A news crew from a local station was pepper sprayed.

Louisville Metro Police said between 7-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Fest-a-Ville venue reached capacity, and security stopped letting people in. The event closed at 9 p.m.

Before the fights and pepper spraying started, several teens who were not accompanied by adults were turned away.

"When they are turned away, they go to the perimeter and climb the fences," Boyd said.

Children 17-years-old and younger must be accompanied by an adult 21-years-old and older to get into Fest-a-Ville. Anyone 18 and older must have a physical ID to enter the event.

Representatives from KDF said digital copies of IDs will not be accepted. They also have a no mask policy.

"We have an attendance policy where if you're under 18, you have to have an adult with you. Some teens are approaching adults to see if they can walk in with them," Boyd said. "Some adults are taking in two or three trips to bring in a few teens at a time, and they're not watching them."

LMPD said Saturday, two juveniles were arrested following fights that happened that night. The fights started in the Chow Wagon.

LMPD said several hundred juveniles crowded the downtown area after the fights, forcing Fest-a-Ville to close early Saturday night.

"If there are teenagers out there who are just coming down here to create problems, then just don't come," Boyd said.

LMPD said shortly after 7:30 p.m. Sunday, "large groups of unaccompanied juveniles" started gathering around the waterfront, Waterfront Park and the base of The Big Four Bridge. Officers observed juveniles in fights and pepper spraying one another. An officer was assaulted while attempting to stop the fight between juvenile females.

Stefphan Gholston was just one of many violence intervention specialists from Gooodwill Kentucky's Pivot to Peace program who broke up a lot of the fights.

"With the history of the city, we know that some conflicts are going to occur," Gholston said. "In partnership with Fest-a-Ville, the Office of Violence Prevention, Goodwill and LMPD, we were able to diffuse a lot of situations, but ultimately the event ended up closing."

About 12 violence intervention specialist, Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies and LMPD were patrolling the event Sunday.

Metro Councilman Khalil Batshon was at Fest-a-Ville Saturday when fights broke out. He's partnering with KDF as the master concessioner, helping put all the food and beverages together for the festival.

"Kentucky Derby Festival and their staff and their security teams responded fast and addressed those situations," Batshon said.

LMPD said they arrested three juveniles and one adult, Elijah Cummings, Sunday night, and recovered two guns. Cummings is charged with menacing, terroristic threatening and fleeing.

According to court documents, police saw Cummings attempting to pull out a gun with an expended magazine as he was arguing with someone.

Police said when Cummings saw the light from officers shining on him, he attempted to put the gun back in his waste band and ran.

Officers were able to arrest him after a short chase.