Fights at River Center event send two to hospital even with increased security measures
BATON ROUGE - An event organizer said he is taking new safety measures after a fight Friday night during an event at the River Center sent two people to the hospital.
For several years now, Dejon Cage has organized an event he calls an 'All Black Affair.' He told WBRZ it is a chance for people to come together to have a good time — and also help celebrate his business, DC Eats. This is the event's fifth year which sold 3,200 tickets at the Raising Cane's River Center.
Unlike last year, Cage said some fights broke out. BRPD confirmed officers were called out to help deal with fights and fan out crowds. Baton Rouge EMS confirmed two people were taken to the hospital. No arrests have been made.
Cage said he had hired security both from the River Center and off-duty BRPD officers. He sent the following statement:
"Right now, it's just too early to say about having this event again next year. I spent right at $200,000. No one spends a fifth of a million dollars on an event and expects it to turn out this way. From River Road, in every direction, everybody felt safe. Police cars on the median from River Road to the old governor's mansion. Police were inside and out. I hope everybody understands the sad part is a few fights being reported, nobody is talking about the influx of business. That's the point that doesn't get talked about. We take full accountability. Hindsight is 20-20. We did everything with security and police."
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Cage attributed the fights to excessive alcohol consumption, saying if this event happens next year, there will be stricter rules in place and attendees will not be allowed to bring their own alcohol.