Kentucky State Fair's new policy on unaccompanied minors has a loophole, raises questions

Courier Journal

A new Kentucky State Fair policy prohibits minors from entering the fairgrounds after 6 p.m. without an accompanied parent or guardian over 21.

But nothing stopped a car full of teens who drove through Gate 6 and sauntered into the exhibition center at 5:51 p.m. Thursday.

"Personally, I feel like the new rule is pointless," said 17-year-old Maddie Blair, who was seen walking around the fair later with a friend and her younger sister. "Like if we really wanted to do something bad we could just come in at 5:30."

The new entry guidelines — the first in Kentucky State Fair history — were put in place after a shooting scare last Saturday created a panic in which fairgoers rushed from what sounded like gunshots and led to tense moments between some teens and police.

Police believe teens shot off fireworks and claimed there was an active shooter in an attempt to incite the panic, Kentucky State Police Sgt. Josh Lawson said.

Background:Police investigating after gun scare prompts tense moments at the Kentucky State Fair

On Friday, a 15-year-old Louisville boy was charged with possession of a handgun by a minor and wanton endangerment in the incident. Two other Louisville teens, ages 16 and 18, also were charged with possession of a handgun by a minor in the case.

But Thursday night, there were clear loopholes in the new age-restrictive policy and a lack of clarity about how it would be enforced. Teens who arrived before 6 p.m. like Maddie were walking around without a guardian, and it was unclear among youths whether or not police would approach them and ask them to leave.

While Kentucky State Fair spokesman Ian Cox has said that minors won't be required to stay with their parents or asked to leave after the 6 p.m. deadline, he said Friday that police will be looking out for crowds of teenagers this weekend and asking where their guardian is.

Cox also admitted Friday that the policy's "guardian" requirement is not strictly defined.

When a car with people who appear to be minors enters one of the fairgrounds' gates after 6 p.m., the fairgoers will be asked to show identification to verify their ages. But the guardian in the car could be a sibling or friend, as long as they're over 21.

There isn't any kind of system to make clear which minor is with which adult once they are admitted because they may have split up. It's also not clear how authorities will know whether the minor entered before 6 p.m.

Halle Salsman, 17, was one of a group of teens at the fairgrounds Thursday evening keeping an eye out for officers.

"I checked online before coming to the fair at 5:30 p.m. and it said I wouldn't have to worry about being stopped or asked to leave after 6 p.m., but how can they really monitor that?" Salsman said.

Read this:Kentucky State Fair's new entry rules for kids start. Here's what you should know

Cox said despite the challenges in enforcing the new guidelines, the state fair has received an "overwhelming amount of positive reactions regarding the policy."

Meanwhile, the police presence will be more visible this weekend; members of Louisville Metro Police Dept. and Kentucky Horse Park will patrol the fairgrounds on horseback, Kentucky State Police Sgt. Joshua Lawson said. With higher vantage points than officers on foot, the mounted officers will be able to detect situations like the incident last weekend, Lawson said.

Many parents who were at the fairgrounds Thursday said they are in favor of the safety precautions.

KC and Erica Young of Louisville said they were at the fair last Saturday night with their pre-teen daughters when the mayhem broke out. But on Thursday evening the energy at the fairgrounds felt completely different, Erica Young said.

"It got crowded (last weekend) and there were just too many people" outside the 'ThrillVille amusement ride area, KC Young said. "We were letting our kids walk around by themselves but when it got dark, we said no more. Based on the capacity of the crowd that was in this area, if something did happen, my daughters wouldn't be safe."

Erica Young said that she noticed a lot more police officers on Thursday and that she had seen law enforcement stop teenagers to ask where their parents were.

"I hate that this rule has to happen," KC Young said. "Especially when we've got good kids that want to come out with their friends, so these kids ruined it for others. But I think the fair is doing the right thing, doing what they have to."

Earlier:Shell casing found at Kentucky State Fair near site of Saturday's reported shooting

Peyton Richardson, 16, who was at the fair with Maddie and Maddie's sister Thursday, said they purposely arrived before 6 and their identifications were not checked at the gate.

Peyton said their parents were worried about safety following last weekend's incident but agreed to let them go to the fair to see Lovely the Band in concert. The teens felt it might not be fair to punish everyone for the actions of a few, and that there could be other ways to prevent incidents like the weekend prior.

"I think they could check bags, that would be a better decision," Maddie said. "Maybe that should be done in the first place. They do that at Kentucky Kingdom."

Lawson confirmed that fair officials are not searching people as they come onto the grounds. The usual deterrent and prevention for firearms are metal detectors and pat-downs, which are set up by state troopers at other large events, he said.

But the amount of personnel required at every entry point at the fair would make that process too challenging, Lawson said.

Lawson provided incorrect information to the Courier-Journal Friday, saying that firearms — carried openly or concealed — are not permitted on the fairgrounds.

Per Kentucky State laws, that is not the case. Lawson confirmed Saturday that individuals of legal age are allowed to possess firearms on the fairgrounds. Lawson said security officials at the fair are aware of fairgoers rights to carry.

"We just hope that all the people at the fair, whether they are carrying a weapon or not, conform to the law and keep everything as peaceful and quiet as possible," Lawson said of the misinformation.

The Youngs wondered whether the new policy would harm the fair's business.

"I don't know how many 15- or 16-year-olds are spending a lot of money here because things are expensive," KC Young said. "But certainly in admissions the fair could lose money."

Cox said the state fair anticipates that only about a quarter of vehicles that come through the gates after 6 p.m. this weekend would have people would need to be asked for their identifications.

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The fair runs through Saturday evening until midnight — with the exhibit halls closing at 10 p.m. — and Sunday until 9 p.m.

"We encourage everyone to bring their family," Cox said. "it is a family-focused event, after all. We don't foresee any attendance drop, but actually an increase in the percentage of families here."

Reach Culture & Diversity reporter Savannah Eadens at seadens@courierjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @savannaheadens.