State High School Trap Shooting Championship: The Alexandria Shooting Park hosted the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League Trap Shooting Championship, attracting over 8,000 student-athletes and an estimated 25,000+ spectators over the nine-day event. This massive event, recognized as the world's largest clay target shooting competition, showcased incredible skill and sportsmanship from young people across the state.

Wings Over Alexandria: Aviation enthusiasts and families alike flocked to the Alexandria Municipal Airport for the Wings Over Alexandria Fly-In and Airshow on Saturday. The event featured a fly-in breakfast, diverse aircraft on display, and breathtaking aerial performances enjoyed by an estimated 4,200 attendees.

"No Kings" Rally: Despite the tragic news impacting the state, the planned "No Kings" rally in Alexandria proceeded, drawing a significant turnout. Alexandria Area Indivisible reported an attendance of 950 people at the rally near Veterans Memorial Park. Organizers, though facing a subdued atmosphere due to the circumstances, led a moment of silence for Rep. Hortman and her husband.

Community resilience and smooth traffic Flow: Despite the convergence of these major events and the usual summertime traffic, Alexandria successfully navigated the weekend without any major incidents. The presence of thousands of visitors for the trap shooting championship, the airshow, and the rally demonstrated our community's ability to host large and diverse gatherings, while maintaining order and a spirit of cooperation. Local authorities, event organizers, and citizens all played a role in ensuring a smooth and safe experience for everyone involved, even in the wake of challenging news.

This past weekend, Alexandria showed its resilience and ability to balance important community events with a shared sense of empathy and awareness of events impacting the wider state. The success of these gatherings, despite the circumstances, is a testament to the strength and character of our community. It is an honor to serve this amazing community and so humbling to work alone side an amazing group of men and women here at the Alexandria Police Department.

Scott Kent is the Alexandria police chief. In the Know is a rotating column written by community leaders from the Douglas County area.