Indians Fans Can Expect 'Safe' ALDS, Cleveland Police Say In Wake Of Vegas Shooting

CLEVELAND, OH — Fans planning on heading downtown on Thursday to watch the Cleveland Indians in the first game of the American League Divisional Series can expect a "safe" event, Cleveland Police told Patch. While the department wouldn't say if its security plan changed in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas on Sunday, spokespeople for the department promised a secure event.

"The Cleveland Division of Police has a detailed security plan in place for all large scale events, including those for Major League Baseball and Cleveland Indians home games," a spokesperson for the department said. "The Division will have many officers detailed to security of the venue and the downtown area for home games and, although tactical plans are not discussed or made available for release, these plans do include support from our law enforcement partners."

The Tribe will take the field Thursday at about 7:40 p.m. They will play the winner of the American League Wild Card Game — either the New York Yankees or the Minnesota Twins. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Cleveland newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

A spokesperson for the Cleveland Indians did not immediately return Patch's request for comment on security measures for the game.

Cleveland Police did ask that visitors to downtown "remain vigilant" and contact police if they see something amiss. "Anyone planning to come downtown to cheer on the Tribe should plan for a safe event," a spokesperson told Patch in an email.

The department's assurances come in the wake of the worst mass shooting in American history. A 64-year-old man from Mesquite, NV, armed with more than a half-dozen weapons – at least some of which were high-powered automatic weapons – set up in a 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino Sunday night and started firing at a crowd gathered for a music festival. In the span of about two minutes, he killed at least 50 people and injured more than 400.

Read more about the events in Las Vegas by clicking here.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch