Manhattan is a “safe community,” Riley County Police director Brian Peete said in a town hall addressing concerns about some recent events. Peete on Saturday spoke with members of the community to answer questions about a pair of incidents, including one that occurred Sept. 3 in which a woman said she was attacked near Aggieville as well as reports of a man walking around with firearms strapped to himself. “We want to make sure everyone takes care of each other,” Peete said. “This is a safe community, and I would walk anywhere in this county at any time of day. “With that being said, we fully understand that crime is a very personal issue with folks.” Peete then addressed online rumors, particularly about the Sept. 3 incident near Aggieville in which a K-State student, Kenna Hibbs, sustained severe head injuries. The police have not made arrests in that case and have not confirmed it was an attack. “All we’re asking the community at this time is to let us do our jobs and our conclusions,” he said. Peete also addressed concerns about the two incidents being connected. “These two incidents do not correlate with one another,” he said. Peete said the police can’t do anything about someone carrying weapons in public because that is legal. “We need to respect the right he has to defend himself,” he said. “But also, at the same time, we need to be providing protection for ourselves but not doing things that may lead to him causing an issue in the community that could get people hurt.” He also further emphasized that there is no crime wave currently ongoing in the community. The town hall lasted about an hour, with Peete taking questions for citizens in attendance.
Source: themercury.com
