A skating party Saturday night in Buechel apparently turned into a violent confrontation with police officers. A large group of kids and parents were trying to enter the rink when they say police maced them and used pellet guns to control the crowd.
About 1,000 kids and their chaperones were at Robben's Roost Roller Rink on Six Mile Lane around 8 p.m. Saturday. It's a weekend gathering designed to get youth together in a safe and fun environment. But on this night -- according to people there -- the event quickly escalated into violence. This is their account of what happened.
The kids ranging in age from five to 18 years old were lining up to get into the rink. Two officers who were working security there at the time were trying to get the kids in a single file line but they couldn't control the crowd. Additional officers were called in from Louisville Metro Police and West Buechel. Without warning, kids and parents say the officers began spraying them with mace and rubber bullets. They say as the crowd was trying to run away, the officers chased them down to a nearby Kroger and White Castle."It was real dangerous, because cars were going, 18-wheelers. We were running everywhere trying to get somewhere safe, and everywhere we went was a police officer," said 16 year old Joevonne Jones.
Several people were taken to the hospital after the incident.
A metro police spokesperson says mace was used only after a large crowd of kids surrounded the officers and threw rocks at them. Police say the mace was aimed over the kids' heads -- not directly at their faces.Members of the Norfolk Community Council and 2nd District Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin have scheduled a meeting Tuesday with a Major in the department to discuss the matter.