Lake in the Hills carnival shuts down early due to unruly teens, fights
Amid numerous fights, unfounded reports of shots fired and unruly groups of teens, a carnival in Lake in the Hills was shut down early Saturday evening and its planned reopening Sunday was scrapped.
Lake in the Hills police said officers responding to 911 calls from the carnival, held in a parking lot at Algonquin and Randall roads, arrived at about 6:28 p.m. Saturday to find large crowds and fights in progress.
“It was determined that it would be in the best interest for the safety of all attendees to shut down the carnival,” police said in a statement Sunday. “Lake in the Hills police officers along with the assistance of officers from surrounding jurisdictions dispersed the crowds and worked to clear the area.”
No injuries were reported and police said there is no evidence to corroborate social media reports of gunfire or that a stabbing had occurred. However, as a result of Saturday’s events, police and the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Chamber of Commerce decided not to reopen the carnival Sunday as scheduled.
The chamber released a statement on Facebook apologizing for the evening’s events and the early closure.
“It was a decision made with the utmost concern for the safety and well-being of our attendees, community and surrounding businesses,” the statement reads. “The unexpected surge in attendance, fueled by the beautiful weather, unfortunately led to overcrowding. Additionally, a significant number of unchaperoned teenagers, with intentions to disrupt and cause trouble, descended upon the carnival and shopping centers in the area.”
The chamber also apologized to surrounding businesses affected by the unruly crowds.
“Please know that the safety and enjoyment of our community are always our top priorities, and we will take measures to ensure that future events are better equipped to handle unexpected circumstances,” the statement reads.
Lake in the Hills police said they were assisted by the Algonquin, Huntley and Crystal Lake police departments, as well as the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.