LSU announced an enhanced game day security plan Thursday that includes adding additional law enforcement officers, drones and shutting down a tailgating area officials described as “a source of significant problems.”
“Recent events have reminded us that we must always remain vigilant, and it is because of this that we are strengthening our security plan,” Board of Supervisors Chair Scott Ballard said.
A shooting that left two injured during Saturday’s Homecoming football game versus South Carolina was the second game day shooting since September. Both occurred on Highland Road.
Officials wouldn’t offer specifics on how many additional officers will be added on game day, how many drones will be present or what agency will provide the drones.
Ballard said the university’s law enforcement presence on game days is already among the highest for the nation’s universities.
Ballard also said the university would be shutting off parts of Highland Road during game day to those without permits and closing the tailgating grounds known as Unity Field, which is at the corner of Highland and South Stadium Drive.
Interim President Matt Lee said that the university had traced the origins of the two weekend shootings to “a well-defined geographic area”: Unity Field. He said officials felt that closing it off would “eliminate that problem.”
That tailgating area is traditionally home to many Black Greek organizations and student groups.
Lee said one student organization had submitted an “inaccurate application” for their tailgating intentions, was attracting “unmanageable crowds” and was engaging in “illegal or dangerous behavior.”
Lee said the group is now being disciplined through student conduct but wouldn’t reveal the group’s name.
“This isn’t about race. It’s about place,” Lee said when asked if the tailgate closure targets Black people specifically.
The university said further guidance on parking and contraflow with the new road closures would be out in the coming days.
Lee said Gov. Jeff Landry, who publicly ordered the university to strengthen its game day security on Monday, had been providing “high-level guidance” through the process and had been in regular contact with Ballard.
Ballard also said the university would be cracking down on marijuana on game days, saying those who were caught smoking it would be detained. He also said LSU would place increased focus on underage drinking and explicit music.
“If your tailgate is interfering with the game day experience of others, law enforcement will be paying you a visit,” Ballard said.
Ballard also said no one other than law enforcement should have a firearm on campus.
“No one should be bringing a gun to campus,” Ballard said. “Going forward we expect these changes will yield not only a safer environment but a better game day experience for our fans and their families.”
Lee said he thinks most people will welcome the increased security, citing that his office has been getting non-stop phone calls from parents who don’t want their kids exposed to firearms or excessive use of drugs.
“They don’t want their children to have to walk through clouds of marijuana smoke; they don’t want their children who are seven or eight to have to listen to unnecessarily loud music that has explicit lyrics,” Lee said. “ It’s just an overall sense of disorder that we have to tamp down on.”
Officials declined to indicate whether the National Guard, if deployed in Louisiana as has been requested by Landry and suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump, would be part of game day security.
LSU said many more specifics will be released in the coming days.
“We’re going to be ready for this because we, the ticket holders, folks at LSU, our children deserve this,” Ballard said. “We will no longer tolerate it.”
