A trail of recent shootings at Memorial Park skate park has left some who frequent the area concerned about sticking around. 

“I’m definitely more wary of being here,” said Daniel Davis, a regular user of the skate park. “I don’t want to get shot.”

“Once the the lights turn off I’m out,” said Adam Legal, another skater who often uses the Memorial facility. 

At about 9 p.m. on June 4, one person was shot and injured at the skate park, and taken to a local hospital for treatment. 

On Nov. 23, three people were shot at the skate park, and two — cousins Gage Celano, 23, and Dominic Celano, 14 — were killed.

The killings of Gage and Dominic Celano remain unsolved. 

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According to Colorado Springs police, there were 492 non-traffic calls for service for Memorial Park-area addresses dating back to June 1, 2021, with 43 of those being zoned to the skate park specifically.

Since 2017, there have been 14 calls for service for shootings or shots fired at or near Memorial Park and the skate park.

However, Colorado Springs police community relations sergeant Jason Newton noted that due to the way data comes into 911, it’s “difficult to determine exact location without a hand review of the cases,” and that the calls for service numbers for the skate park may not be exact.

The shootings at or near the skate park in the past eight months are not new.

In November 2013, one man was shot in the stomach and survived. 

In July 2015, Desmond Smith, a popular student at North Middle School, was shot in the chest and killed in a drive-by shooting near the skate park. Two men were sentenced to prison and other sentenced to the Youthful Offender System in Pueblo.

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Despite the shootings, Newton said there isn’t a cause for panic for frequent users of the skate park. 

“It does become pretty unnerving, but crime happens all over the city,” Newton said. “I can understand people’s perceptions, but it’s no less safe than anywhere else in the city.” 

Newton said some of the recent Memorial Park incidents can be explained by the park being a heavily trafficked area of Colorado Springs, and that incidents in general are leading to more gun violence than in the past. 

“When kids fight, it’s not like it used to be 15 to 20 years ago,” Newton said. “They don’t walk away, they pull out guns.”

Legal seconded the idea that Memorial Skate Park isn’t a problem spot because of the patrons, but rather that it’s a victim of proximity. 

“Everyone here at the park is here to skate and do their thing,” Legal said. “It’s just that other people come from the lake area or the park and leach in.”

Newton said that while police aren’t concerned with the area, police officers will be swinging by the park more frequently when on patrol. However, Newton said they won’t have an officer stationed there permanently.

“That’s just not practical,” Newton said.  

At one point earlier this year, some users of the skate park said a security guard was briefly stationed at Memorial Park skate park. 

“That didn’t last very long,” Davis said.

Colorado Springs spokeswoman Jennifer Schreuder confirmed that a privately hired security guard was working in the area from January to March of this year, but they were working specifically at Sertich Ice Center, which is located next to the skate park.  

Due to the recent shootings, Schreuder said that the parks and recreation department is considering private security in the area. 

“Interim Parks Director Britt Haley said the parks department is considering additional private security in Memorial Park and exploring funding possibilities,” Schreuder said via email.

Some park users like the idea of having additional security placed nearby. 

“I feel like it would deter people,” Legal said. “It feels a little more safe to have someone you know is walking around and watching people’s stuff.” 

The skate park is open “dawn to dusk” according to signage at the park, but Davis and Legal both said that people often linger well past closing hours. 

Both recent shootings happened after dusk. 

Newton said police try to have skaters leave the park after it closes, but without giving out tickets or fines.

“We are not trying to ticket people for skating and having fun,” Newton said. “We give warnings … and that usually does the trick.”

Schrueder said that at this time the parks and recreation department has no plans to change the skate park’s hours. 

“They (Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation) consistently work with the Colorado Springs Police Department regarding safety issues at the park,” Schrueder said.