Several Lorain Police Department reports have detailed crimes that led to the restricted hours of the Mile Long Pier.
At 4 a.m., Aug. 5, police were called to the pier for a shooting that left one man injured, according to a police report.
Initially, the caller said there was a fight in progress.
While police were on their way to the pier, another caller told the dispatcher that the shooting victim was being transported by his friends to Mercy Health – Lorain Hospital, the report stated.
The three men who drove the victim to the hospital later told police they did not see what occurred, but they’d heard a gunshot and then saw their friend laying on the ground.
Officers collected a spent shell casing from a .45 mm gun from the scene as they investigated the incident.
The incident then was turned over to the Detective Bureau for investigation.
At 2 a.m., Aug. 8, officers were patrolling the area of the pier because of the shooting days earlier when they happened across another incident, according to another police report.
The officers noticed a large group of people running and getting into their cars.
As the officers began to enter the area, “approximately 12 gunshots were fired and vehicles started leaving the area at a high rate of speed, the report stated.
The officers collected six .10 mm shell casings, six .40 mm shell casings and a cellular phone, the report noted.
“At the time of this report suspects are currently unknown. There were no digital surveillance cameras in the area,” the report stated. “This area has been responsible for numerous criminal activities the last month.”
In a heartfelt message to the community published on the Lorain Port and Finance Authority’s Facebook page last week, Executive Director Tom Brown announced the new restrictions on parking at the pier.
“I grew up on the east side of Lorain and have spent much of my life enjoying what we affectionately call the Mile Long Pier,” Brown wrote. “I spent many days in my youth fishing with my father and other family members on the pier and the rocks around the contained dredge disposal.
“I write this so that everyone knows that I understand your concerns about public access at the pier.”
In the post, Brown said it was “a very hard decision” to restrict parking at dusk at the north parking lot.
The parking lot now is only accessible to marina slip holders after dusk, he said.
The Port worked in conjunction with the Lorain Police Department as they work to manage the problem.
Another safety measure will include extensive surveillance cameras, Brown stated.
“Large gatherings of cars have continued to congregate which has led to many illegal activities which cannot be tolerated at our site,” he said. “We value and appreciate all our law-abiding guests and many of you share some deep connection with the pier and its many memories.
“We just need to do our best to eliminate the nonsense that has become dangerous to each of you.”
