Increasing safety at the DeSoto County Fair

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It’s been exactly one year since 17-year-old Daniel Rodriguez Lopez was gunned down at the DeSoto County Fair.

Deputies said Lopez was murdered after a fight broke out with another teen that he apparently knew. Ryan Watson Jr. was arrested for shooting and killing Lopez after the fight at the DeSoto County Fair in 2023.

Picture of shooter and victim in DeSoto County Fair shooting. CREDIT: WINK News

With less than two days left of the fair, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office shared a message with the community: safety is number one and crimes will not be tolerated.

The sheriff’s office put out a press release saying they are working together with the Arcadia Police Department and the Department of Juvenile Justice to make sure no juvenile under felony probation is at the DeSoto County Fair past mandatory curfews.

DeSoto Sheriff Jim Potter said under no circumstance would they tolerate any sort of violations.

“What we’re looking at is being on the offense and having our deputies in different areas, as well as city police officers, looking and watching continuously, and then also asking the public, ‘Hey, come on board. If you see something that’s suspicious, call us, let us know, let us check it out,'” said Potter.

The fair started on Friday, and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office’s new mobile command center was stationed outside. It’s equipped with 360-degree cameras on top as well as multiple screens for monitoring surveillance video.

“This place is gonna be locked down. It’s gonna be a safe, family-fun environment. DeSoto County will not let that happen again. We’re gonna be relentless, and we’re gonna be here to protect,” said Andrew Proudfit with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office.

The last day of the DeSoto County Fair will be Feb. 11.

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