GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The pedestrian-only Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids will be closed on weekend nights until further notice.
The Grand Rapids Police Department says the Blue Bridge will be closed from midnight until 6 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
The decision was by jointly by the police department, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. and the City of Grand Rapids.
“We want to set the expectation early on this summer that the Blue Bridge is not a place for large crowds to gather in the overnight hours,” GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom said. “This is a proactive step we are taking as GRPD, DGRI, the City and other stakeholders work together to provide a safe and welcoming environment for residents and visitors.”
The decision comes after an incident over the weekend when officers were called to a report of shots fired on the Blue Bridge early Sunday morning.
Police say a large group of people had congregated on the bridge, and while police couldn't confirm the crowd's size, they did say the crowd was the subject of several noise complaints.
The crowd had lingered around the Blue Bridge since 1 a.m., police say.
While no one turned up with injuries, police say one car was found damaged by gunfire.
"We are reviewing video footage from multiple sources,” said Winstrom.
Police made multiple arrests.
“We ended up making six arrests, a couple of warrant arrests, three people illegally carrying handguns, and then an individual who ended up fighting with police and didn’t want to leave,” Chief Winstrom told FOX 17.
Police say pedestrian access to cross the Grand River remains available on Pearl Street NW and Fulton Street W. Late-night DASH service provides public transit access near the west end of the bridge.
"The group out there was adults. I don't think we had an interaction with juveniles at all. It was an older group that should know better, know better than to be illegally carrying concealed weapons," Chief Winstrom added. "Certainly [should] not be shooting weapons in the area of a crowd where there are literally hundreds of people."
The Blue Bridge was closed to pedestrians last September after an early morning shooting broke out amidst a crowd gathered on the bridge. That shooting left four people injured.
“The best way to address crime is to stop it before it happens. That’s why it’s important we take these steps like we did last summer— shutting the bridge down,” Chief Winstrom said.
