SAVANNAH, Ga. — The recent acid assault in Savannah’s Forsyth Park has reignited conversations about introducing emergency call boxes in the city’s public parks.

District 2 Alderman Detric Leggett shared with News 3 on Monday that the initiative has been under consideration for nearly a year. The city council is currently ironing out the specifics, but Leggett is eager to see these safety measures implemented in parks throughout the city soon.

This push for enhanced safety measures follows a disturbing incident last Wednesday when Ashley Wasielewski was attacked near her home by Forsyth Park. A man reportedly approached her and splashed a corrosive substance on her face, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the Savannah Police Department (SPD).

Wasielewski was quickly taken to the Augusta Burn Center for treatment. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist with her medical expenses and recovery.

“Even before this tragic event, we were considering the installation of call boxes,” Leggett explained. “When we visit other cities, we notice these safety features in place. We want to bring similar protections to Savannah.”

A Savannah native, Kristen Lacey, has been advocating for this technology for several months. Lacey said there have been a few instances where she felt unsafe when running in the parks. The recent assault has her wanting to tackle this issue immediately.

“It’s one of those things where you don’t think it’s going to happen to you or you don’t think it’s going to happen in your city,” Lacey said. “This is just a prime example of why it would have been very ideal for us to have these implemented in this situation. She could have been able to run to these call boxes immediately and call for emergency services.”

Lacey said anyone exercising in a public park should be aware of their surroundings by keeping music low or only wearing one earbud. She said people should also look around often, make eye contact with others in the area and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

Since this incident, SPD announced they are increasing patrols and actively working to find the suspect. If you have any information on this case, please contact the FBI’s Toll-Free tipline at 1-800-Call-FBI or tips.fbi.gov. You can also call Savannah Crimestoppers at (912) 234-2020.

The FBI and Savannah Police have also established a digital tipline where people can submit photos and videos that might help the investigation. Photos and video can be uploaded up to 

You can view Lacey’s petition for the emergency call boxes by clicking here.