Local law enforcement and Owensboro city officials have been working together to increase police presence near Smothers Park after multiple reported incidents, including an assault that left two female victims wounded with minor injuries last Wednesday. The two males alleged of committing the crime have not been named nor apprehended at this time.
According to an OPD police report, the incident last week occurred in the 100 block of W. Veteran’s Boulevard at approximately 8:50 p.m. The females who reported the incident received minor injuries, telling police they did not know the two males who attacked them.
City Commissioner Pam Smith-Wright brought up the incident at Tuesday’s special called City Commission meeting, saying she’d received an email from a concerned resident regarding a number of incidents that had taken place near the riverfront park.
“She said there was a lot of violence going on with some young men,” Smith-Wright said. “We don’t need that to happen.”
Police Chief Art Ealum said OPD began scheduling officers to patrol Smothers Park on Sunday nights, and he said officers would continue to maintain a presence there during the week.
“People want to wreak havoc at the park, and we’ll put a stop to that and, hopefully, things will calm down,” he said. “We are clearly aware of what’s going on.”
Public Information Officer Andrew Boggess said OPD investigators were given descriptions of the two males from last week’s incident and possibly a nickname for one of them, and the investigation is ongoing.
