LAKEWOOD, Ohio — The basketball hoops at Madison Park look much different than they did just three days ago: quiet and empty.
"Basketball hoops are down, and [we] have no idea why," resident Nathan Lizanich said.
Lakewood police removed the hoops Friday, citing them as "evidence" in a pair of shootings that took place in recent weeks at the park. Some in the community believe the courts are being blamed for the recent violence.
"Basketball is being associated, falsely, with violence," local coach Randy Brown told 3News.
"[We can't be] equating basketball to gun violence, because basketball is not equal to gun violence," Casey Davis with the Lakewood Outdoor Basketball Court Committee added.
People 3News spoke with said they don’t feel like the reason for taking the hoops down was justified.
"That's kind of a mystery right now, in terms of why they took them down," Davis said.
"Everybody was told more security was going to be the answer and not just removing the hoops," Jon Wagner claimed.
Lakewood's mayor, Meghan F. George, released a video message Friday saying she wants everyone to feel welcome, and that the hoops being removed is only temporary.
"Once the police have confirmed that it's safe to open back up, we will do so," the mayor said.
But the community is asking why only the basketball courts were shut down, while other sports can continue playing at the park.
"I feel very strongly about the message it sends when we have kids showing up to play yesterday and the hoops are down, but they look over and they see kids playing soccer," Davis said.
3News reached out to Lakewood Police for more answers on why the hoops were removed, but was told there was no update that could be provided. Residents just want to make clear that the courts are not only friendly, but desired.
'We're all here to do the same thing: To play basketball,' Brown said.
Conversations about this will continue into a Lakewood City Council meeting Monday, but residents said they'll continue to have open dialogue about this until the hoops are brought back, and even when games are played again.