Kansas City police staffed extra officers to take care of any issues during Thursday’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
The annual parade drew a big crowd to the Westport area.
Police made at least three arrests, but said the day went smoothly overall.
“We do this every year and this year is no different,” said KCPD Capt. Tye Grant. "We have a lot of extra officers working today and at different events throughout the day."
Around 1:30 p.m., officers responded to an incident where a 14-year-old boy allegedly pulled a gun. After a quick chase, the boy was taken into custody.
41 Action News Reporter Josh Helmuth caught video of the aftermath after police apprehended the teen. (WARNING: The Twitter video below contains strong language.)
KCMO police just chased down and apprehended young man at parade. No word as to why yet @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/bdQsZ5pi9u
— Josh Helmuth (@Jhelmuth) March 17, 2016
Later, an intoxicated man allegedly tried to hit an employee of the Embassy Suites near the Plaza.
"He went to swing on a fellow associate that works here and kind of just fell over and hurt himself, got a gash on his forehead,” said James English, one of the employees. “You definitely have to be on high alert.”
The bars and restaurants in the Westport area benefited from a big turnout.
“This is without a doubt the busiest day of the year,” said Bryan Adams, who works at the Bistro 303.
Adams said he expected at least 500 customers Thursday, but the bar would likely shut down early because of the day-long festivities. “The bartenders know when to step in, the security people know what to do, and we all just work together to make sure everyone has a fun and safe time."
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Lexi Sutter can be reached at alexandra.sutter@kshb.com.
Josh Helmuth can be reached at josh.helmuth@kshb.com.
