PEORIA, Ill. – Concerns about recent gun violence in Peoria is causing some adjustments to attendance for local high school basketball postseason games.
Peoria High School is hosting a Class 3A IHSA boys basketball regional this year. The games feature Manual vs. Peoria High, followed by Richwoods and Peoria Notre Dame. But restrictions for attendance will be in place after recent gun violence incidents in the city.
Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria says he raised those concerns to Peoria Public Schools on Tuesday afternoon. He cited recent gun violence incidents, specifically incidents where a victim suffered a graze wound on S. Stanley and W. Hayes as well as E. Buerkin where multiple bullets were fired into a home. Murder cases in 2020 and 2022 near Peoria High School were also cited.
Echevarria says that while no direct threats have been made to students and the games itself, safety is a top concern.
“The Peoria Police Department does have an obligation to do whatever is necessary to protect our community, our students, and our families from violence, and that is what this is about,” Echevarria said.
Student-athletes and cheerleaders will each be given five tickets to be handed out at their discretion, which will be the only way to enter the games. Staff will be able to enter with a badge. No one else will be allowed to enter.
Echevarria added that extra police presence will be at the games to ensure safety. Game times have also been move up, with gates opening at 3:30 with tip-off of Manual and Peoria High at 4:30. He said the safety measures are as much as protecting the outside area of the games, as it is the people attending the games.
“It’s hard to control a large crowd. The concern’s not usually what’s happening inside, it’s what’s happening outside of the building prior and after the events,” Echevarria said. “And we want to make sure the school district security team and the police department can have a hold on that.”
Peoria Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat added that she would rather apologize for inconveniences than see a fatal situation occur.
Friday’s championship game is scheduled for 5:30 P.M. No decision has been made yet about if the attendance measures will be in effect for that game.
