The Joseph Parish Carnival in Middletown was marred by a large fight Thursday night, causing them to close early.
Official details regarding the incident have not been disclosed by the Middletown Police Department, however, a video obtained by First State Update shows several young people being placed in handcuffs as the fight appeared to be out of control.
According to a statement released by Joseph Parish Carnival, the Middletown Police Department confirmed that no weapons were involved in the fight and that pepper spray was employed by law enforcement to control the situation.
Statement by the Parish
We are aware of an incident that occurred last night at our Parish Carnival. The Middletown Police informed us that there were no weapons involved in the incident. Because of the location of the incident and the number of people involved, pepper spray was used to control the incident. The Carnival was scheduled to close at 10pm, but because of the incident the police determined that an earlier close (approximately 9:30pm) was warranted.
The Carnival has become a tradition which we enjoy sharing with the MOT community. We work to provide an enjoyable experience for our parishioners and neighbors who attend the Carnival. To ensure the safety of all visitors we did increase the number of police officers on site, and we thank them for their service at the Carnival and in our community.
We apologize that we had to close early on Thursday night. The Carnival will be open tonight and Saturday night (weather permitting of course) and we will continue to work with the Middletown Police on how to maintain an enjoyable and safe event. Any unused ride tickets from Thursday night can be used tonight and Saturday night, or used at any future events where Skelly’s Amusements operates.
We also want to say thank you to the volunteers who work tirelessly to make this an enjoyable community event each year, and many thanks to our neighbors and friends who support and attend the Carnival.