INDIANAPOLIS — Police said a large fight at the Marion County Fair Saturday night led to a shooting that injured a juvenile.
A spokesperson told 13News Sunday morning that the final day of the fair was canceled after the violence.
“While it is unfortunate that the fair had to be canceled, we had to put the safety of the public first. We want to thank everyone who came out last week and made 8 days of the fair a success," said Abdul Hakim-Shabazz of the fair board in Sunday's announcement. "We are working to make sure that next year's fair is safe and secure.”
Sheriff's deputies on duty at the fair called for IMPD around 8:30 p.m. to help them control a crowd of between 100 and 150 people who were fighting. As the groups were leaving the fairgrounds, multiple shots were fired, injuring one juvenile male.
The initial violence started after a large group of juveniles rushed the main gate, according to Marion County Sheriff's Office. The gate was closed at the time because the fair was at capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The victim has not been identified. Police say he left in an ambulance in stable condition with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
A young woman and a deputy sheriff were also injured. The woman taken to the hospital for treatment of an abrasion and the deputy was treated at the fairgrounds and released.
The sheriff's office said numerous juveniles were arrested and multiple guns have been recovered from the scene.
A viewer told 13News there was a huge crowd stuck in traffic in the parking lot trying to get out of the fairgrounds.
It is not clear if any shooting suspects were arrested.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office had approximately 50 deputies on duty staffing the fairgrounds.
Authorities said before Saturday, five juveniles were arrested. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office said many of the juveniles who were at the fair were unaccompanied by adults.
The Marion County Fair Board is considering a requirement that all juveniles be accompanied by an adult next year
The last shooting to happen at the fair was in 2017 when a teen was shot in the leg near the Ferris wheel. Another teen was arrested for the shooting.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the IMPD Aggravated Assault Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 or (TIPS)