BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The false alarm from the Boots In the Park event has left people scarred for days. With event organizers leaving only an apologetic email to concertgoers a pile of questions remain unanswered.
It was supposed to be a Friday night full of fun at the Kern County Fairgrounds until confusion and panic exploded throughout the venue just before the main act as instructions appeared on the large screens telling everyone to evacuate.
“When that came up on the screen you would never think in your mind to wait and see if this was an accident,” Teresa Garza a Boots in yhe Park attendee said. “There was no exit. We were actually trapped in that venue in that spot along with a herd of others running to get out as well and everyone was panicking. Everybody was running and screaming.”
Garza was at the country concert with her family enjoying the long-awaited night with laughs and country tunes. But during the confusion, they like many others, sprang into action to escape the venue in fear for their lives. But Teresa’s son Jacob has Cerebral Palsy and is in an electric wheelchair.
“The mob continued to break down the fence because everyone was each man for himself basically,” Garza said. “It was traumatic because I knew how are we going to get this guy out? With the wheelchair with the power it weighs tons.”
During the rush to escape good samaritans came to the family’s aid to get Jacob and his electric wheelchair over the torn-down chain-linked fence.
It wasn’t until later that attendees were notified the notice to evacuate was an accident. That information was confirmed with an apologetic email event organizers sent to all of its attendees.
People from the event say security would not let anyone back into the event even though it was a false alarm.
“It was a traumatic experience to say the least. Especially for him because he couldn’t sleep he was scared all night he kept waking up,” Garza said. “He was really traumatized.”
Many of the concertgoers are asking the organizers to be accountable and give refunds. Event organizers have not returned any of our phone calls or emails since the incident.
