Shots rang out Wednesday night in the River Market District of Little Rock as police were escorting what officers described as a group of "unruly" teens from a free summer movie event.
No one was hurt and no arrests have been made, but police and city officials said they plan to meet to discuss security concerns at the popular Movies in the Park series held annually at the First Security Amphitheatre.
The incident occurred at 9:45 p.m. outside the immediate amphitheater area in the 400 block of President Clinton Avenue, according to the official police account.
According to the report, a large group of teens was escorted out "due to their unruly behavior."
Both off-duty and on-duty officers assigned to the River Market District were involved.
"Once the group reached Clinton Avenue, shots were fired and everyone began to run in [a] different direction," according to the report.
Moments later, a mounted officer rounded a corner and pointed to someone as having a gun. Officers then pulled their weapons and instructed the person to get on the ground, the report said.
The 18-year-old man was placed in handcuffs and patted down. No weapon was found, according to the report, and the man was released without further incident.
Police and city officials say the incident happened despite a recent boost in security.
"The Little Rock Police Department had already increased ... police presence in the River Market area on Wednesday, June 25, 2014," Lt. Sidney Allen, the police spokesman, said in a statement. "It is our goal to provide a safe, enjoyable atmosphere for all visitors to the park.
"We are talking with all entities associated with Movies in the Park to formulate better security strategies for this event."
A Little Rock police surveillance camera recorded the incident, but detectives were "unable to determine who fired the weapon," Allen said in a later statement. "There is no muzzle flash or any other clue that would identify a shooter."
The footage, released to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and other media outlets Thursday, shows a large crowd of people standing outside La Harpe's Office Furniture across from The Flying Saucer. At the time reported by police to be when the shots were fired, the crowd disperses.
The footage is pixelated and disjointed, however. Whether people in the crowd were running is unclear, as is where they may have gone.
Other people stood in the street for several minutes after the gunfire, the footage shows. Several cars and a Central Arkansas Transit Authority River Rail car drive by until two mounted officers appear about two minutes and 13 seconds after the shots.
Two other mounted officers and a patrol car with its emergency lights activated appear shortly afterward. People remain on the street after their arrival.
The Movies in the Park series has been held on Wednesdays in June and July for the past 10 years. It is associated with the River Market and underwritten by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau. Wednesday night's featured movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, attracted a crowd city officials estimated at 2,000.
"Safety and security of everyone at this event is our utmost concern," said Gretchen Hall, president and chief executive officer of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, adding she and other city officials will review what they can do improve security to keep the series going.
The next movie is The Hunger Games, scheduled for Wednesday. There are no plans to cancel the movie.
"We will do everything to make sure it is a safe environment," Hall said.
Metro on 07/11/2014