BILLINGS – According to Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, a family was assaulted while leaving MontanaFair on Tuesday night in the upper parking lot at MetraPark.
This incident is the latest in a series of crimes reported at MontanaFair in recent years, with the most notable being the shooting on the Midway in August 2022.
No arrests have been made in Tuesday’s incident, and Linder declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation.
On Wednesday, fair visitors Cathy Haslam and Rachel Park expressed concern about Tuesday night’s crime.
“Overall, safety in the city is on my mind more than it used to be,” Haslam said. “And the same goes for coming to the fair. You can’t let your guard down like you used to.”
The issue of crime is one that Linder and his team have been addressing for years.
In a statement to MTN on Wednesday, Linder mentioned, “For as long as I can remember, there have been disturbances or fights at the fair. In most cases, they involved juveniles… Deputies have always provided security at the fair, but after the shooting incident a few years ago, we significantly enhanced our security measures.”
Linder reported that 10 individuals, eight juveniles and two adults, have been removed from the fairgrounds so far this year.
Despite the progress in security at the annual event, Haslam and Park remain apprehensive.
“We actually discussed it before coming because I had seen what happened last night,” Haslam said. “She said, ‘Now I’m second-guessing if I even want to go.’
They appreciate the increased security presence at the event.
“It’s reassuring to know there’s additional security here,” Haslam remarked.
Linder acknowledges the ongoing safety risks, stating, “We make a concerted effort to patrol the grounds visibly and proactively, but with thousands of people present, we can’t always be in the right place at the right time.”
These uncertainties impact fairgoers every year.
“You never know what might happen, especially with a large crowd,” Park noted. “That’s why we chose to come during the day, as it’s even more challenging at night.”
