INDIANAPOLIS — A music festival returning to Indianapolis for the second year in a row will be the first event to ban guns under the city’s new anti-violence initiative.
“Now, thanks to partners at Evolv, weapons detection technology on-hand this weekend will be as unobtrusive as it is effective in creating a safer environment,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in a release on Thursday.
The City of Indianapolis says organizers and promoters leasing public property for events can use city resources to enforce gun free zones.
“Last month, as I announced the next phase of the City’s violence reduction strategy, I shared that the City would assist private event hosts interested in creating ‘gun free special events on public property,” Hogsett said.
When the WonderRoad Music and Arts Festival kicks off in Garfield Park this weekend, attendees will be screened by sensors meant to detect firearms.
“Last year our technology screened more than 300 million people in the U.S. and detected and prevented threats and weapons from entering places where they were prohibited,” Anil Chitkara, co-founder of Evolv Technology, said.
The technology is similar to the metal detectors found at the gates of the Indianapolis 500.
“If the technology sees a potential threat, the security operator is alerted and there is a picture of where that individual might be,” Chitkara said.
According to the release, Evolv sensors screen approximately one million people per day and are currently deployed at over 600 venues worldwide.
The City says it will release more guidance around use of the policy over the coming weeks.
