MASON, Ohio — Six people, including five juveniles, are facing charges related to the fights that shut down Kings Island early on Saturday night.
One 18-year-old and five juveniles -- one 17, two 16 and two 14 -- will face charges of assault, obstructing official business, disorderly conduct and inducing panic. While the teens have not yet been arrested, Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said their charges should serve as a warning to teens who enter the park.
“In 10 years, we haven’t seen anything like what we saw last Saturday," Fornshell said at a press conference Friday.
Fornshell said arrests were not made on Saturday in order for park security to focus on breaking up the fights and protecting patrons.
Kings Island announced Tuesday it is increasing its security presence in response to the Saturday incident. There will be increased security and police inside the park, where they will implement new security protocols. The park will also continue to utilize the Protect Our Park program, where guests can report safety or security concerns via a mobile device.
While security will be up, other staffing remains down across the park. Kings Island announced Thursday they will close the park early due to a staffing shortagestarting Friday through June 10. The park will open at 11:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. -- three hours earlier than normal, meaning no fireworks after dark. The Season Pass Early Ride Time will begin at 10:30 a.m. each day.
“We want to be sure we are delivering a fun and memorable experience, but like a wide range of industries, the availability of labor continues to be a challenge, and our park is not immune,” Kings Island said in a letter to season passholders.
Kings Island's Soak City Water Park opens this weekend on a reservation basis -- currently there are no reservations available.
