Knight Parade security beefed up ahead of weekend festivities: Tampa police chief

YBOR CITY, Fla. - The Gasparilla invasion continues this weekend. The beads will be flying again Saturday evening in Ybor City with the Krewe of Sant’ Yago's Knight parade. 

However, the Tampa Police Department said they will have extra units patrolling the parade, including from other agencies. Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said underage drinking has been an issue and the DUI unit will be on hand to handle any incidents that come up. 

The beefed-up security comes on the heels of a deadly shooting spree in Ybor City that happened last October during the Halloween celebration. Two people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured. 

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Ybor’s reputation also took a hit, with many in the community believing it just wasn’t safe to visit. But Chief Bercaw pushed back on that, saying the community is once again thriving. 

"I’ll tell you from what I’ve seen with my own eyes is that the crowds are coming back," explained Bercaw. "The dinner hour is busier than I’ve seen, so we’re expecting big crowds."

TPD said they will also have patrols by air and water, making sure everyone stays safe. Chief Bercaw urges people who see any suspicious activity to report it immediately. 

"We will not tolerate anybody bringing any type of disturbance to this parade, or any event down here," warned Bercaw.