McKinley School Carnival Canceled In Fairfield After 'Significant Public Safety Concerns'

FAIRFIELD, CT — "Significant public safety concerns" on Friday at the annual McKinley School Carnival at Jennings Beach in Fairfield led to the event being canceled for the rest of the weekend, according to Fairfield police.

The popular fundraising carnival turned into a chaotic scene when reports spread through the crowd that gunshots had been fired.

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Fairfield police said that "no evidence was found to confirm that any shots had been fired."

"On Friday evening, officers responded in large numbers and were assisted by mutual aid from the Bridgeport Police Department to manage unusually large and disorderly crowds, made up mostly of unsupervised juveniles," Fairfield police wrote on Facebook (see below). "Throughout the evening, there were multiple incidents in which attendees believed shots had been fired or that fights had broken out, leading to panic, chaos, and crowd surges."

Dozens of officers had already been deployed to the carnival, and as the incidents unfolded, they conducted extensive checks of the area and did not find evidence of gunfire.

"The size and movement of the crowds caused several families to become separated, requiring officers to redirect resources to reunite parents with their children," authorities said. "Police also received numerous reports of fights and disturbances in different areas of the Jennings Beach grounds and parking lots.

"As the situation escalated, large groups began running in multiple directions, including into surrounding neighborhoods. Crowds numbering in the hundreds then gathered at Chick-fil-A and surrounding businesses, where fights broke out and individuals illegally congregated, prompting additional police response with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The rapidly expanding crowd and shifting scene required the Fairfield Police Department to deploy every available police resource in town to restore order and protect public safety."

The decision to cancel the remainder of the carnival was supported by the McKinley PTA, which organizes the event, according to police.

"We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of the community."