The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department is aware of a report made of an incident that occurred at Blackwell Park on March 29th around 6:30pm. Below is a summary of the account and immediate protections our department has put in place.

During the evening on March 29, a young man was leaving soccer practice at Blackwell park by the Freedom Field playground when a white male wearing a black hoodie and sunglasses and a red beard approached and tried to grab the player. The player was able to flee and sprinted to his parents vehicle safely. The incident has been reported to the Columbus Police Department.

Our department has asked CPD to increase patrols through and around the park facility in addition to increase the patrols of our own internal Park Patrol. If you see a suspicious individual please do not hesitate to report them via 9-1-1.

As a reminder, if you are a coach, you should not leave the fields until all of your players have been safely picked up. Use the buddy system when using restrooms. Always ensure you are vigilant of your surroundings. And again, if you see something, please say something. For questions, please contact sports@columbus.in.gov.

Thanks for your attention on the matter. Stay safe.

Columbus Parks and Recreation Management