WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — Busch Gardens has implemented a chaperone policy for those 15 and younger for the reminder of Howl-O-Scream, following a stabbing and fight during the preceding two weekends.
The park made the announcement Wednesday afternoon Starting on Friday, Sept. 20, all visitors ages 15 years old and younger must be accompanied by a chaperone at least 21 years old when attending the park after 4 p.m. on Howl-O-Scream event nights.
“Busch Gardens has a lot of people, there are a lot of people that attend the park,” Brad Rinehimer, assistant county administrator and former police chief for James City County, said. “The park is overwhelmingly a very safe and secure family friendly, great event. Typically, when we do have any issues … it’s often young people, teenagers or young adults and words get exchanged and some things sometimes escalate to obviously places we don’t want it to go.”
This new policy comes after a teen was stabbed during a fight in the France area of the park on Sept. 14. An employee reported a fight just before 10 p.m. that night. During the investigation, an 18-year-old told officers he was stabbed.
WAVY viewer Andrew Eger was at Busch Gardens and captured video of police arriving on scene just after 10 p.m. the night of that incident.
Another incident occurred the week before when police were called to the park for a “verbal dispute/altercation” between two large groups, primarily involving juveniles and young adults on the second night of Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream, which began on Sept. 6 this year.
“I know they’ve already made some changes on the security side and we as a police department have made some changes on our side,” Rinehimer said. “Try to increase the numbers of people with the times that are there, some surveillance, you know, utilizing technology with tethered drones to better surveil the parking lots and things like that.”
“The safety of guests and team members has always been a top priority at Busch Gardens Williamsburg,” the park stated, in an email.
The chaperones are required to remain inside the park for the full duration and must be available by phone.
Attendees 15 years or younger who are found inside the park without a chaperone who is not in the park and available by phone will be subject to removal without refund.
If you are at least 16 years old, you must be able to present a valid government-issued photo ID with date of birth prior to park entry. If unable to verify proof of age, guests may be denied entry into the park.
The chaperone policy goes into effect from Friday, Sept. 20 – Nov. 3 during Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s Howl-O-Scream.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.