Lake City Sheriff Wallace F. Kitchings is calling out a series of unpermitted street parties that built up around the Annie Mattox recreation complex on Easter Sunday, saying the crowd size and chaos created dangerous conditions and choked off access for first responders.
Kitchings said the swelling gatherings strained local emergency services and were marked by public drug and alcohol use. He urged organizers and community leaders to step in now and help make sure future holiday events at the site are safer and more controlled.
In a letter posted to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, Kitchings estimated the Easter crowds near Annie Mattox at between 1,500 and 3,000 people and said many of those in attendance were not local. He described streets so packed that emergency lanes were blocked.
The Facebook post included photos that showed dense crowds and said public use of marijuana and alcohol was observed. Kitchings wrote that what deputies saw on the ground "could have met the statutory definition of an unlawful assembly." He encouraged event organizers to develop structured plans with safety in mind and to keep open lines of communication with law enforcement ahead of time.
"The Columbia County Sheriff's Office will serve citizens with professionalism and integrity," Kitchings wrote in the post, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.
He also told residents that three shootings had taken place in the week leading up to Easter and referenced a previous Easter-time incident last year that injured a law-enforcement officer who still has lasting effects. County officials are reviewing photos and reports from the weekend gatherings as they weigh how to handle similar events going forward.
Past violence at Annie Mattox
Last year's Easter celebration at Annie Mattox turned violent when shots were fired and a Lake City police officer was wounded, prompting a criminal investigation and arrests. Local outlets reported the April 2025 shooting and the subsequent arrest as the department and community sought video and witnesses, as reported by News4JAX.
Annie Mattox Recreation Center is a county-run park and community center with a gym, softball diamond, playground and other amenities, and the site is used for seasonal celebrations and youth programming. The Columbia County parks and community centers page lists the facility and its Lake City location, which helps explain why the park draws large crowds during holiday events, per Columbia County.
Legal and public-safety stakes
Florida law defines "unlawful assemblies" under Florida Senate Chapter 870, which makes it a misdemeanor for three or more people to meet to commit a breach of the peace or any other unlawful act and gives officers authority to order dispersal. The sheriff echoed that standard in his public letter, writing that the observed drug and alcohol use and the blocked roadways "could have met the statutory definition of an unlawful assembly."
What officials want next
Kitchings called on event planners and community groups to create formal safety plans, bring medical and traffic-control resources to large gatherings and coordinate with law enforcement ahead of big weekends. He said the Sheriff's Office will continue outreach and targeted enforcement in an effort to protect both residents and lawful community events.
Anyone with information about the Easter gatherings or who witnessed unsafe or criminal behavior is asked to contact the Columbia County Sheriff's Office at (386) 752-9212 or visit the agency's contact page for reporting options. The sheriff's office lists its headquarters on U.S. Highway 90 in Lake City for anyone who prefers to speak with investigators in person, per the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
