Columbia police plan increased downtown presence ahead of Mizzou-Texas game following Halloween shooting

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police are preparing for a busy weekend downtown as thousands of fans travel to Mid-Missouri for Saturday's Missouri-Texas football game, just one week after a shooting that sent crowds running through downtown Columbia.

Police Chief Jill Schlude said the department is coordinating with the University of Missouri, Boone County and the Missouri State Highway Patrol to ensure additional coverage downtown during the game weekend.

The increased attention comes after an Oct. 31 shooting in which police say at least seven people fired weapons during a dispute in a crowded area of downtown. Nearly 30 shots were fired, and the investigation has resulted in eight arrests during the past eight days, including seven men and one juvenile male.

“What happened in the early morning hours of Halloween is unacceptable. Our investigation indicates that at least seven individuals fired weapons during a dispute in a crowded area in downtown Columbia. Close to 30 shots were fired during this incident. Every one of those shots put lives at risk. It is remarkable that more people were not injured or killed,” Schlude said during a Friday press conference.

Some suspects have been referred for federal prosecution. Schlude said the department will continue working to send as many cases as possible to the U.S. attorney's office.

“Our message is clear. If you unlawfully possess a firearm or use a firearm to endanger others in Columbia, we will pursue every available avenue to hold you accountable,” Schlude said.

With Missouri hosting Texas in a ranked matchup on Saturday, police are anticipating a significant number of visitors and increased activity throughout downtown.

“We always try to provide extra coverage downtown anytime we have home football. This happens to be, we're playing Texas. So we anticipate a lot of people traveling to the area for that,” Schlude said. “But, thankfully, the crew that is on this weekend was not the crew that was on last weekend. So they've gotten a little bit of time to rest. But certainly we anticipate a busy week in downtown.”

Columbia police dispatch data shows home football Saturdays have generated more calls for service than road game Saturdays and typical weekdays this season.

The department has averaged 289 calls for service on home game days, compared to an average of 256 on gamedays when Missouri has played on the road.

The busiest home game so far was Oct. 3 against Florida, when police recorded 324 calls for service. The department also recorded 298 calls during the Sept. 3 opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 279 against Troy on Sept. 19 and 253 against Texas A&M on Oct. 10.

Road games have also brought increased activity. Police recorded 297 calls for service on Sept. 11 against Kansas, 243 against Mississippi State on Sept. 26, 248 against Ole Miss on Oct. 17 and 242 against Arkansas on Oct. 31.

For comparison, the department averaged between 224 and 253 calls per day during the five full Monday-through-Friday periods provided between Sept. 28 and Oct. 30.

The department is also working with staffing limitations. Schlude said Columbia police currently have roughly 20 vacancies, adding to the demands on officers and specialized units.

“They're exhausted. And so for Columbia PD, SWAT is an ancillary assignment. So it's not a full-time job. It's something else that you do, like, in addition to being a drone pilot or a field training officer. So it's something you do in addition. So that team, we currently have about 25, 24 members,” Schlude said. “Those guys and gals are just putting every ounce of energy they have into doing this.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also aware of the potential need for additional coverage. Troop F Sgt. Kyle Green said he had not been made aware of any specific extra enforcement plans for Saturday but noted that the agency has provided additional enforcement during past events.

Businesses downtown are also preparing for the expected crowds, with 9th Street Public House telling ABC 17 News that home football games are among its busiest days, although the business typically sees heavy traffic on most Saturdays.