In the wake of the tragic Las Vegas shooting that killed 59 and left more than 500 injured, the Miami Police Department is reassessing its security measures for the upcoming Ultra Music Festival in March of 2018.
The Vegas shooter, identified as 64-year-old Stephen Paddok, opened fire on the crowd of Route 91 Harvest Festival from the 32nd floor of nearby Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino. Ultra takes place in Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, surrounded by high rise condos and hotels, similar to the landscape of Las Vegas.
CBS Miami spoke with acting City of Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina about the concern that UMF may be open to similar attacks.
“Like Las Vegas, we have a lot of outside venues with the weather and people want to be outside,” Colina is quoted. “We train and go over scenarios, active shooter scenarios where people are reminded to get where the shooter is.”
“It’s something to consider, now that we meet with the folks from Ultra -- since you mention it -- and we will speak specifically about some issues,” Colina continues. “In the past we have talked about putting people in place as spotters on rooftops of buildings on close proximity, and this is always something to keep in mind.”
Billboard Dance has reached out to the City of Miami Police for more information, as well as Ultra Music Festival for comment. Read the full story via CBSMIami.com.
