Shooting after football game prompts changes in East Bay school district

Lisa Amin Gulezian Image
ByLisa Amin Gulezian KGO logo
Friday, October 4, 2019
Shooting after football game prompts changes in East Bay school district
The Hercules High School JV game is being played on its new day and new time-- and parents don't like it.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The Hercules High School JV game is being played on its new day and new time-- and parents don't like it.

Vernette Crockett said, "We have to rearrange our whole lives because of one incident that happened not even at one of our games."

RELATED: 3 teens wounded in shooting after De Anza High School football game in Richmond

That incident was a shooting that happened Friday night in the same school district after a De Anza High School football game, not far from campus, in Richmond. Three people were shot.

West Contra Costa Unified School District Spokesperson Marcus Walton said, "We've put in some concrete steps we hope will increase the sense of safety and security that our fans feel."

Now, in order to go to a game, students must show identification and anyone who doesn't have one has to be accompanied by an adult.

Also-- all varsity games will be played on Fridays at five instead of at seven.

Hercules High School varsity football player Omari Catley said, "Varsity is supposed to have Friday night lights. Everyone at their game cheering for them. Now with earlier game no one is gonna really want to come."

That's not all-- John Swett, which was supposed to play against De Anza Friday-- postponed their game.

Lots of ideas were thrown around in order to play the game, including having the game on Saturday morning and also hiring more police officers.

But in the end, administrators decided against it.

John Swett Unified School District's superintendent said, "We're just erring on the side of caution and put as much distance between events we feel that's the safest way to go."

Parent Paula Rose said, "The changes that are in place don't stop people that are going to be shooting at people to come by the neighborhood that's the thing."

No word on when the game will be rescheduled.