Mishawaka Police warn against mass gatherings

MISHAWAKA, Ind.--- Mishawaka Police are asking the public to not attend large gatherings after hundreds attended an event on McKinley Avenue Friday night. Most of the people at the event showed up to the Big Lots parking lot to witness the return of the 'McKinley Avenue Cruisers'.

Amy Nickerson help organize the event on Facebook. She says she was not expecting the amount of people that showed up Friday night.

"We kind of joked about it for a couple weeks and said let’s make a Facebook event and see what happens and it took off," said Nickerson.

Mishawaka Police eventually came to shut the gathering down. Officials issued a statement saying the event "Violates Governor Holcomb's stay at home order,". 

However some people at the event say Mishawaka Police was at the event long before it was shut down but did nothing for hours. 

"What I witnessed was that same cop sat there the entire time," said Nickerson. "He sat off to the side, watched, came over."

ABC 57 reached out to Mishawaka Police for further comment but officials declined. Nickerson says she encouraged attendees to stay in cars and practice social distancing, but couldn't control what people did when they got to the parking lot.

"We’re all adults so the suggestion could be put out there but I can in no way control what other people do," said Nickerson.

There are plans for another event next Friday.