Violence down, medical visits up for 75th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The 75th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is one for the books with thousands of people flooding into the Black Hills. Law enforcement were concerned about the possibility of violence, especially after a May shootout in Waco, Texas, involving motorcycle clubs, but there were no reports of shootings or stabbings.
State Department of Public Safety Spokesman Tony Mangan says behind-the-scenes cooperation among law enforcement was a factor in the smooth Rally.
While there may not have been any major violence, a Rapid City-based health care system saw a record number of visits to its facilities. Regional Health leaders say there were more than 1,000 visits to emergency rooms and Urgent Care facilities.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation says their final numbers show that almost 511,000 vehicles entered the City of Sturgis for Rally, about a 31 percent increase from last year.
