USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS
MORE TROUBLE AT
COLMAN
Raytown Police shut
down park one hour before curfew
Raytown
Police were called to Colman Park in response to calls for help from neighbors
surrounding the park last Friday evening. Neighbors of the park say events were
getting out of hand. Many said that an individual was speeding recklessly up
and down the north end of Lane Street around 9:30 p.m. in the evening. Others
complained of “out of control activity and noise coming from the park.
Five
Police Cars from the Raytown Police Department showed a little before 10:00
p.m. Police informed individuals in the park through a loud speaker that they
were closing the park down effective immediately. The warning from the Police
told people acting up in the park that if they did not leave immediately, their
cars would be towed.
Neighbors
of the Park say they were pleased with the swift response and action by the
Police.Colman
Park, as with all Raytown Parks, normally has curfew of 11:00 p.m. The Police
action at Colman effectively closed the park at 10:00 p.m.
One
neighbor of the Park told the Raytown Report she was really impressed by the
response of the Police Department.
“Not
one shot was fired by anyone in the area, but things were getting out of hand.
The five police cars showing up at one time sent a clear message. This is a
neighborhood park for families . .
. not for the nonsense that has been
going on.”
Independence Police shut down Carnival
Raytown was not the only City facing unrest at a popular gathering
space.
Over 50 police officers from the Independence Police Department
respond to dangerous activity at a Carnival being held at Independence Center.
KMBC CHANNEL NINE broadcast
the following report about the incident.
Nine people were arrested
after a large disturbance involving hundreds of teens broke out Saturday night
during a carnival outside the Independence Center mall. Officers with the
Independence Police Department were called around 8 p.m. to the mall parking lot.
Security there requested the mall be closed early for the safety of staff and
patrons. As officers helped disperse the crowd, multiple large fights broke out
in the parking lot, leading to a metro-wide call for assistance.
Officers from Kansas City, Sugar Creek, Lee’s Summit, Blue
Springs, Raytown, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State
Highway Patrol responded to the scene. Eight juveniles and one adult were
arrested, police said. Eight of the suspects are from Kansas City, and one is
from Raytown. No injuries were reported, and police said no shots were fired.
Use the following link to view
the video:
https://www.kmbc.com/article/independence-center-carnival-disturbance-teen-arrests-june-21-2025/65148119
Park Board Meeting Report

BY GREG WALTERS
The Raytown Park Board held a rare Public meeting for
homeowners living near Colman Park to hear concerns on recent gun violence at
Colman Park.at 2 a.m. on June 9 a large crowd of gun wielding individuals
in cars fired an estimated 200 rounds of gunshot into the air from over 60
vehicles driving in a long procession through Colman Park 2:00 a.m. in the
morning.Raytown Parks and Recreation Parks Director, Dave Turner,
told attendees at the meeting the Park Board has decided to make security
changes at Colman to tackle the uptick of trouble at one of Raytown’s most
popular parks.
MORE TROUBLE AT
COLMAN
Raytown Police shut
down park one hour before curfew
Raytown Police were called to Colman Park in response to calls for help from neighbors surrounding the park last Friday evening. Neighbors of the park say events were getting out of hand. Many said that an individual was speeding recklessly up and down the north end of Lane Street around 9:30 p.m. in the evening. Others complained of “out of control activity and noise coming from the park.
Five Police Cars from the Raytown Police Department showed a little before 10:00 p.m. Police informed individuals in the park through a loud speaker that they were closing the park down effective immediately. The warning from the Police told people acting up in the park that if they did not leave immediately, their cars would be towed.
Neighbors of the Park say they were pleased with the swift response and action by the Police.Colman Park, as with all Raytown Parks, normally has curfew of 11:00 p.m. The Police action at Colman effectively closed the park at 10:00 p.m.
One neighbor of the Park told the Raytown Report she was really impressed by the response of the Police Department.
“Not one shot was fired by anyone in the area, but things were getting out of hand. The five police cars showing up at one time sent a clear message. This is a neighborhood park for families . . . not for the nonsense that has been going on.”
Independence Police shut down Carnival
Raytown was not the only City facing unrest at a popular gathering
space.
Over 50 police officers from the Independence Police Department
respond to dangerous activity at a Carnival being held at Independence Center.
KMBC CHANNEL NINE broadcast
the following report about the incident.
Nine people were arrested after a large disturbance involving hundreds of teens broke out Saturday night during a carnival outside the Independence Center mall. Officers with the Independence Police Department were called around 8 p.m. to the mall parking lot. Security there requested the mall be closed early for the safety of staff and patrons. As officers helped disperse the crowd, multiple large fights broke out in the parking lot, leading to a metro-wide call for assistance.
Officers from Kansas City, Sugar Creek, Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs, Raytown, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene. Eight juveniles and one adult were arrested, police said. Eight of the suspects are from Kansas City, and one is from Raytown. No injuries were reported, and police said no shots were fired.
Use the following link to view the video:
https://www.kmbc.com/article/independence-center-carnival-disturbance-teen-arrests-june-21-2025/65148119
![]() |
BY GREG WALTERS |
Raytown Parks and Recreation Parks Director, Dave Turner, told attendees at the meeting the Park Board has decided to make security changes at Colman to tackle the uptick of trouble at one of Raytown’s most popular parks.
Lane Street is a two lane street with a north/south trajectory in Colman Park. It is the only park in Raytown that has two entrances. The hilly straight away attracts individuals who have used the public street at Colman Park as a race track and a place for side showsTurner told those in attendance that they have installed speed bumps on the north end of Lane Street and intend to install on the south end as well. Homeowners living near the park agree the installation of speed bumps has effectively stopped the reckless driving.
Turner also spoke of plans to install monitors in shelter houses that would turn electricity to shelter house off when sound levels reach an unacceptable decibel level. A date for installation has yet to be set. Neighbors within two city blocks of the park say they are unable to enjoy their own back yards because of the excessive noise from disc jockeys and loud music coming from the park.
Turner said plans were in place to use private security patrols at Colman Park on weekends during summer months. Those in attendance at the meeting were pleased with the planned changes in security at the park. Though many of them repeatedly told the Park Board the real solution would be to gate the park and close it down during curfew hours on a year round basis.
How We See It . . .
BY PAUL LIVIUS |
Recognition is due Park Board Director Dave Turner, who did an excellent job of laying the improvements the Park Department has already begun putting into action.
Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters and a neighbor of the park,
Jim DeLong, also deserve to be recognized for very effectively bringing the
meeting to the Public’s attention. The fact that a good sized crowd of people
came and expressed their thoughts publicly clearly shows the meeting was a
success.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Ward 2 Alderman
Loretha Hayden, Police Chief Bob Kuehl and City Administrator and City
Administrator Diane Egger. Jim DeLong, whose property abuts the park, was key
in distributing literature to neighborhoods with news of the Park Board Public
Meeting.
Approximately two dozen speakers addressed the Park
Board. Alderman Walters and Park Board Director Dave Turner were the only city
officials who spoke at the meeting.
Walters told the Park Board, “Had locked gates been in place at Colman Park on June 9th, there would not have been any gunfire that morning.
It is interesting to note that no one disagreed with his comment.
USE THIS LINK TO Comment AND VIEW COMMENTS
. . . BREAKING NEWS . . .
Multiple gun shots fired at Colman Park
At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Monday morning neighborhoods surrounding Colman Park were awakened by multiple gun shots.
After meeting with the Park Board Director and numerous Raytown homeowners surrounding the park we have decided to release the information we have gathered.
Neighbors surrounding Colman Park lit up the Police
Dispatcher screens early Monday morning with reports of heavy gunfire of multiple
calibers strength fired at the Park.
Neighbors of the Park told the Raytown Report they were awakened by the gunfire. Many feared the worst. In the last six years there have been two murders at Colman Park.
Video recorded by surveillance cameras at Colman Park showed approximately 60 vehicles entered the park between 1:30 and 2:00 o’clock after midnight.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. hundreds of gunshots were fired into the air on west side of the park. Shortly afterward, most of those firing the shots left the scene.
The Raytown Police arrived to investigate. To our knowledge there have not been any arrests for firing, or, firing shots in the air. Both activities which are against City Ordinances and State Law in Missouri, commonly known as Blair's Law, named after the tragic killing of a girl due to celebraitly gunfire a Fourth of July Holiday..
The next morning, Park employees, on their routine of cleaning the park found numerous spent cartridge shells in the park.
Jim DeLong, a neighbor of Colman Park since 1983, summed up his thoughts on the situation.
“Those people brought weapons of mass destruction into our back yards. This is a direct threat to everyone’s public safety and property. The City has a responsibility to maintain safety in our neighborhoods.
City Hall and especially the Police, need to step up and enforce the laws already on the books.
One simple solution is to lock the park down, and, if needed, man it with security or police to guarantee this nightmare does not happen again.
Anything less is not acceptable and puts Raytown citizens at risk. It is clear that ignoring working towards a solution is not option.”
The following comments from Facebook sources were shared with us by one of our regular readers.
STEPHANIE HOLLO wrote on Raytown Unleashed . . . I agree with this statement our house faces where they hang out (by the trees). it was more than one gun and lots of cars. Police showed up FAST. Not sure how to secure our parks better as nothing good happens at 2am!
RHAYA MITCHELL wrote . . . I thought I was trippin! I knew I heard gunshots and what sounded like someone returning fire.
There’s a Park Board meeting next Monday at 7 pm. It’s been moved to City Hall so there’s more room for the public to attend. I’m hoping to hear some positive plans to stop this destructive behavior.
To quote Max Smart
of "Get Smart" fame
"Missed us by that much!"
Our Memorial Day Tribute
Memorial Day's origins can be traced back to the Civil War which resulted in the deaths of over 600,000 soldiers. To honor the fallen, communities began decorating their graves with flowers, and the practice became increasingly common. The first Memorial Day was observed on May 30, 1868. At that time it was called "Decoration Day". As time went on Memorial Day became a Holiday for all those who served our country in the armed services.America is not the only country to honor their dead. "Shoes on the Danube Bank" gives remembrance to 3,500 people who were shot on the bank of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary during World War II. The victims were told to remove their shoes. They were then shot. Their bodies thrown into the Danube so the tide would carry them away. The shoes, which were valuable items in World War II, were gathered up and sold.
The sculptor created sixty pairs of period-appropriate shoes out of iron. The shoes are attached to the stone embankment. Behind them lies a 40-meter-long, 70 cm high stone bench. At three points are cast iron signs, with the following text in Hungarian, English, and Hebrew: "To the memory of the victims shot into the Danube by Arrow Cross militiamen in 1944–1945. Erected 16 April 2005."