Old Settlers fest attendees run after reports of gunfire. Police say reports are unfounded
As Johnson County Old Settlers fest was in full swing Saturday night, an incident prompted several people to panic and run away from downtown Olathe.
It’s unclear what happened, but according to Olathe Capt. Rick Parsons, police late Saturday night received reports of “multiple disturbances” at Old Settlers. None of the reports were founded, police said.
“Our officers did not locate any of those disturbances or anybody injured from a reported disturbance,” Parsons said.
Police did not locate evidence of shots fired at the event.
The event continued late Saturday night, he added.
In a follow-up tweet, police said anyone with information is asked to call police.
Mel Hipsher, 16, said she was with her friends getting tokens for games when she saw a group of kids push through the crowd, running.
“We didn’t think that much of it, and then we looked in the other direction where the Ferris wheel and the main part of Old Settlers was and everybody started running toward us,” Hipsher said.
The teen said she and her friends also started running. Amid the confusion, she heard someone yell about a shooter.
As she and her friends took off, they came across an 11-year-old who had been separated from her father in the chaos. The two were later reunited, Hipsher said.
“I’ve been going to Old Settlers since I was probably 5 years old,” Hipsher said. “I’ve never had anything like this happen.”
This story was originally published September 7, 2019 at 11:28 PM.
