Sacramento Working To Allay McClatchy Park Fears After Shooting

SACRAMENTO - It's a park. Throwing, catching and learning to play ball is what kids should be doing,

But on Tuesday that normalcy was rocked when bullets went flying across McClatchy Park during a little league game, just one of many incidents in the last few weeks.

With the escalating violence parents started pulling their kids from the park and from the team.

"Quitting was never an option," Gary Goathe said.

Goathe is on the board of directors for the Oak Park Little League team and is one of dozens getting together with police and the community to take back their park and to stop the violence.

"The main thing is the kids and the kids getting back out here again playing little league," he said.

The community movement has gone straight to the top, literally. A 360 degree camera will allow 24 hour surveillance. City Councilman Jay Schenirer said there will also be heavy police presence until the community feels it is safe.

"I have kids myself. You're always worried about the safety of your children. I would say, hopefully they'll come back and they'll see that we have police there through the games and they'll be there fully," said Schenirer.

Parents are optimistic of the change and said they'll continue to step up to the plate for their kids.

"I think that was a one-time occurrence and hopefully it gets better," said Patricia Burks while checking to make sure that action is happening.

"They're eager to get back out here and on the field again and us parents, you want to see the same thing also," said Goathe.

Games were cancelled this weekend, but will resume on Tuesday. He hopes parents will bring their kids back to the park and not let the violence win.