O’FALLON, Ill. — At least nine fights and a shots-fired incident disrupted the City Fest in O'Fallon, IL., over the weekend, prompting multiple arrests and the temporary closure of nearby businesses, officials said Monday, Aug. 25, 2025.
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The disturbances occurred on Friday and Saturday at the annual festival held in O’Fallon, IL. The incidents included a series of fights involving juveniles near the rides and along the U.S. Highway 50 corridor, culminating in shots being fired behind Community Financial on Saturday evening, Aug. 23, 2025.
O’Fallon Police, Fire and EMS personnel, with assistance from several regional law enforcement agencies, implemented crowd control measures including closing U.S. Highway 50 at Hilgard and Lincoln, shutting down rides and music, and directing unaccompanied juveniles to leave the festival area.
“Due to the fights and disruptive behavior, multiple businesses in the surrounding area closed their doors until the crowd dispersed,” said Mayor Eric Van Hook in a statement. Two officers sustained minor injuries during the response: one suffered a knee injury, and another required eye irrigation after exposure to pepper spray.
The timeline of incidents began Friday night, Aug. 22, 2025, with two separate fights near the ride area involving juveniles, leading to arrests for battery and disorderly conduct. On Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, fights and disturbances occurred between 4:55 p.m. and 7:33 p.m. in and around the park and along the U.S. 50 corridor near local businesses, including Domino’s, Starbucks, Community Financial, and Phillips 66. Pepper spray and pepper balls were deployed in limited instances.
At 7:53 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, shots were fired behind Community Financial. Five juveniles were detained nearby; four were later released without charges, while one 14-year-old from Cahokia Heights faces pending charges with the State’s Attorney’s Office.
A total of 17 arrests were made over the two days. Twelve were for battery or disorderly conduct, and one is pending related to the shots-fired incident.
Mayor Van Hook said a thorough after-action review is underway to evaluate contributing factors, interagency coordination, and potential improvements for future events.
“This year’s City Fest has shown that nostalgia for how events were once held cannot outweigh the responsibility of keeping our community safe. Public safety must always come first,” he said.
The city plans to hold a meeting with stakeholders to discuss the review findings once it is complete.
