The State Fair of Texas will ban all firearms from fairgrounds and tighten security at fair entrances during the upcoming event, officials announced Thursday 鈥� about a year after an alleged gunman opened fire on the fairgrounds and injured three people.
The annual security update, in which fair officials were joined by the Dallas Police Department, DART police and Dallas ISD police, came earlier than usual. It鈥檚 been almost a year since one man shot at another in the food court at the Tower Building around 7:45 p.m. Oct. 14, Dallas police said. Victims had non-life-threatening injuries.
Karissa Condoianis, senior vice president of public relations for the State Fair, said because the investigation did not determine how the alleged gunman got the weapon into the fair, 鈥渨e may never know鈥� how it happened.
鈥淲e are putting measures in place to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to make it not happen again,鈥� she said.
Police arrested 22-year-old Cameron Turner in connection with the shooting. He鈥檚 charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of unlawfully carrying a weapon in a prohibited place.
Days after the shooting, State Fair officials said there were no planned security policy changes, but the fair would put increased security at the gates and throughout the park.
Now, all firearms are banned from fairgrounds, including concealed carry. While the alleged shooter did not have a license to carry a gun, Condoianis said officials felt this was the right move based on feedback and procedures at other Texas fairs and rodeos.
鈥淲e accept people鈥檚 rights, and we are in support of those,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is just a measure to create a further family-friendly atmosphere.鈥�
Andrea Araujo, a victim who was working as part of the fair鈥檚 cleaning crew when she was shot last year, is suing the alleged gunman, GXC Inc. and Andy Frain Services. Her attorney told 四虎影院 in June Araujo still has bullet fragments in her body.
According to the suit, the security screening checkpoint run by Andy Frain Services failed to prevent Turner from entering fairgrounds with the pistol he allegedly used in the shooting. Screening devices from GXC Inc. also failed to detect the weapon and alert personnel, the suit alleged.
GXC Inc., a security company, will once again supply the fair with CEIA Opengate weapon detectors at entrances. Visitors will now see signage informing them their bags will be searched, as well as a list of prohibited items and the guest code of conduct.
The company's CEO, Genaro Cavazos, said it hasn鈥檛 been determined the gun was taken through a metal detector at the fair, and that he still trusts CEIA鈥檚 technology.
"My life is protection," Cavazos said. "I chose a technology that I know I could trust with my own family. If somebody walks a weapon through it, I have the utmost confidence that it鈥檚 going to detect it."
Andy Frain Services will also return to provide security officers at fair entrances and to check bags. Officials would not disclose exactly how many security officers will be at this year鈥檚 fair.
When asked, officials said they weren鈥檛 aware of any visitors walking around metal detectors but said fairgoers should let law enforcement know if they see that happening.
Other changes at this year's state fair:
- The fair will have cameras at entrances to record the security process.
- Bags and soft-shell coolers must now be 9 inches by 10 inches by 12 inches or smaller. Medical or parenting bags don鈥檛 have to meet those limits.
- The fair will no longer provide lockers or bag checks. Fairgoers who bring a too-large bag or another prohibited item will have to return it to their vehicle or dispose of it. Staff won鈥檛 hold prohibited items. Clear bags encouraged, but not required.
A rule that will remain the same: all children aged 17 or under must come to the fair with an adult aged 21 or older after 5 p.m. Adults cannot accompany more than six children and must present their ID when entering the fair.
The State Fair of Texas , when one person was killed and three others were shot. Last year鈥檚 incident was traumatizing and devastating for staff, who are at the fair every day it鈥檚 open, Condoianis said.
"Just know that the team here is so passionate about the state fair and about creating this environment so that this is a place where you can continue to come to get away from the rest of the noise in the world," she said.
The State Fair of Texas opens Sept. 27.
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