JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — Two juveniles are in custody as of Thursday evening for damaging the Northwest Sports Complex on the Fourth of July, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
There was a collective grumble of "this is why we can't have nice things" that rose up in Jefferson County. News of the Northwest Sports Complex closing, because people set off fireworks in the restrooms, has residents shaking their fists.
Editorial note: The video above is from July 4, 2023.
Setting off fireworks and setting off small bombs aren't all that much different. Some sort of explosion reduced the Northwest Jefferson County Sports Complex bathrooms to rubble on the Fourth of July.
Surprisingly, this was the only fireworks call the Cedar Mill Fire Protection District dealt with that night, and there wasn't even a fire for them to put out.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department sent a deputy out around 10:45 p.m. on July 4 when someone called in saying people were lighting fireworks in the bathroom.
When the deputy arrived, no one was around, but the bathroom was significantly damaged. Around it was firework debris. The deputy talked to witnesses who said around 20 people were there when the fireworks went off.
Now the park is closed and a Jefferson County crime scene analyst is investigating.
5 On Your Side talked to Jefferson County Parks and Recreation officials, who said the park will be closed temporarily. They have had to cancel, move and reschedule ball games.
The Parks and Recreation Department also told 5 On Your Side they have struggled with people tampering with the surveillance system at the complex for months.
So how much will a collapsed bathroom cost? The current estimate from Jefferson County Parks and Recreation is $150,000.
As of Thursday afternoon, the post on the Jefferson County Department of Parks and Recreation about the park closure has over 50 comments, mostly people commiserating over what happened and a few asking for an expensive solution... park rangers.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department told 5 On Your Side on July 6 that they worked on a number of leads and are feeling "confident" they are on the "right track" to finding the person or people responsible.