On the night of Oct. 14, 2023, a shooting occurred at the State Fair of Texas, leading to the injury of three individuals and necessitating an evacuation of the premises. But what safety precautions does the fair have in place?
This year, the fair increased security measures. The fair invested in a new OpenGate weapon detection system at each pedestrian entry gate, which automatically screens people in transit as well as their backpacks, purses and bags for the detection of metal threats including weapons. In addition to the Dallas police, Dallas ISD and DART police officers, the fair partnered with the private security and investigation company Andy Frain Services to staff the entrance gates and search people flagged by the screening system.
Dallas police officers, both in uniform and in plain clothes, also roam the fairgrounds to look for concerning behavior and provide aid to people who need it. According to Deputy Chief Teena Schultz from the Dallas Police Department, a tactical planning team spent eight to nine months preparing for the fair.
So how did the shooter get past security? Well, it’s not yet clear. According to WFAA, OpenGate has sensitivity controls — if you increase the sensitivity, you'll decrease the possibility of missing a weapon, but false alarms will increase.
The state fair is also a gun-friendly event. According to the fair’s website, “The State Fair of Texas has long been, and continues to be, a strong supporter of the rights of responsible gun-owning Texans.”
But in order to bring a gun into the fair, attendees must provide a valid handgun license to carry their guns in a concealed manner while attending the fair. Local Profile attempted to reach the State Fair of Texas for a comment but did not receive a response prior to publishing.
The fair also changed its minor policy for this year’s fair. As previously reported by Local Profile, in early August 2023, the fair announced a new policy for minors that required all fairgoers under 17 entering after 5:00 p.m. to be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is at least 21 years old. Additionally, all parents, guardians and chaperones are allowed to accompany up to six kids under 17 at a time. This policy change comes after a 2022 incident when a group of fairgoers caused a false shooting scare by running through the fair crowd and inciting chaos.
If you see something that doesn’t look right on the fairgrounds, please alert a uniformed police officer or State Fair Safety Team member.
To learn more about changes to the 2023 State Fair of Texas, visit the link here.
