WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Security is on the minds of many attending this year‘s West Fest in West Valley City, especially in light of the shooting last year in which three people were killed at the annual event.
Most attendees attending West Fest on opening night Wednesday were aware of what happened last year, and Isabel Fernandez said she appreciated the added security measures.
“You kind of can’t be scared to go somewhere because of what people have done in the past," said Fernandez.
The West Valley City Police Department said it is doing all it can to keep the event and those who attend safe.
“So last year was just a horrible incident. This year, we have expanded our security footprint," said Lt. Robert Brinton.
The expanded security includes additional officers, both uniformed and undercover, more K-9 officers, and more cameras. One thing guests won't find is metal detectors, as organizers wanted the event to remain an open and welcoming environment.
Russell Bishop felt secure bringing his family of six to West Fest.
“It’s absolutely terrifying to know that it’s happened, but look how many officers are here ready to go," said Bishop.
Others echoed Bishop's view that the added police presence was reassuring.
“I read up online that they upped the security and trained these guys on how to watch for misbehavior, so hopefully they can keep it under control," said Staci Jones.
Jones’s daughter, Amanda, had no worries while having fun on Wednesday.
“I’ve seen, on my way over here, I’ve seen a lot of cop cars out here, so I think they’re pretty much covered," she said.
Officers assigned to this year's West Fest received additional training in terms of crowd monitoring.
“We wanted to equip them with the ability to effectively operate in an environment that sometimes gets a little chaotic or challenging at times," explained Brinton.
For some, fear of the unknown wasn’t going to keep her away from West Fest.
“Unfortunately, in the world we live in, it’s a risk anywhere you go," Lyssa Sanchez said. "So I don’t think I can let that run my life and not go places because I’m worried about that, because honestly, it can happen anywhere."
