INSTITUTE, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission will be reviewing safety protocols in the event of an active shooter situation following Sunday’s shooting near the Shawnee Sports Complex.
Commissioner Ben Salango said he wants to beef up security with new emergency lock gates at the complex after the shooting at an apartment complex on Smoot Avenue sent athletes, coaches and families into a panic.
“We need to install more of those emergency gates along the back of the park, even over on the grass side towards the railroad tracks and toward the back of West Virginia State to have some additional emergency exits,” Salango said on Tuesday “580 Live” with Dave Allen heard on MetroNews affiliate 580-WCHS.
Hundreds of families were on hand watching children participate in the West Virginia Soccer Association’s Open Cup event at the complex Sunday when shots rang out two blocks away, but nobody knew where the shots were coming from at the time. No body was hurt.
“The shots were loud,” Salango said. “The people on the baseball side thought there was an active shooter. It wasn’t on the complex, but they heard it and it was incredibly loud.”
The commission released a statement Monday and said while they cannot comment on the ongoing investigation, they will be holding a debrief with emergency management and law enforcement officials to improve security at Shawnee.
“Upon review of the incident so far, 2 of the 26 gates at the facility were locked for security reasons. We will be reviewing this process and coming up with a solution to better protect participants, including reviewing whether a new gate system is necessary,” the statement read.
Salango commended county officials for their quick response.
“Our staff did everything that they could possibly do directing people out, but there’s room for improvement,” he said. “We’re going to make those necessary changes. I want this facility to be safe and I want everybody to feel safe.”
Active shooter drills are held every six months at Shawnee, Salango said.
Three men were arrested shortly after the shooting Sunday, according to the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Antonio Jacobs III, 18, of St. Albans, Kaden Bowman, 24, of Dunbar, and Zion Clark, 23, of Dunbar, were each charged with wanton endangerment. Clark was also arrested on an outstanding and unrelated burglary warrant.
All three men are being held at the South Central Regional Jail.