By Associated Press - Thursday, May 15, 2014

SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) - Saginaw schools leaders and city police are planning pre-prom gatherings in a secure environment after a fatal shooting last year at one unofficial event.

The events sanctioned by school and police officials take place May 22 ahead of Saginaw High School’s prom and May 23 before Arthur Hill High School’s prom, The Saginaw News reported (https://bit.ly/RVe9i9 ). Both of those events will be on Saginaw’s Ojibway Island.

“It’s a big night for our kids, and we want to make sure they remember it in a positive way,” Saginaw Police Detective Sgt. Reggie Williams said.

Art O’Neil, Saginaw School District security chief, said students and their families will be able to drive to the island, take photos and socialize before students head to prom. Ojibway Island will be closed to members of the public who aren’t authorized, he said.

“We’re just hoping that students take what we have said to heart and utilize the staged area and not meet on their own. And to use a lot of common sense,” Williams said.

Williams and O’Neil met with Saginaw and Arthur Hill high seniors to discuss safety ahead of prom.

Saginaw High School sophomore Tonquinisha McKinley, 17, was fatally shot May 23, 2013, outside a Saginaw event hall. Three others were wounded in the shooting. Earlier this year, a judge ruled that four men will stand trial on second-degree murder charges.

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Information from: The Saginaw News, https://www.mlive.com/saginaw

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