Three parkgoers, including one 15-year-old, were wounded by gunfire during a shooting at Pittsburgh’s Kennywood amusement park on Saturday night, according to authorities.
Gunfire erupted in front of the Musik Express ride just before closing, said Allegheny County Police Superintendent Christopher Kearns, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The shooting was reportedly the result of a confrontation between two groups of young men, which devolved into a brawl, at which point one member produced a handgun and began firing. The shooting spread panic among parkgoers, resulting in several “trample-related” injuries, in addition to those with gunshot wounds, per police. The handgun was recovered inside the park, but the suspect is still on the loose.
PORTRAIT OF PITTSBURGH AT THE DAWN OF A PANDEMIC
“The park is closed for the night and all guests have exited. We are aware of a situation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement,” said a statement released by Kennywood Communication Manager Tasha Pokrzywa. “The safety of our guests and team members are our top priority. Members of the park’s security, Allegheny County, and West Mifflin police departments were already on site and immediately responded.”
Despite the three injuries, police said that only two bullets were fired. A 39-year-old victim was grazed and quickly released, while the 15-year-old and another juvenile male are being treated but are in stable condition.
County superintendent Christopher Kearns confirms that 3 were injured by gunfire at Kennywood Saturday night. Victims include a 15 year old boy in stable condition, a 39 year old male who has been treated & released & a juvenile male receiving treatment. pic.twitter.com/toFvsJc4qO
— Hannah Wyman (@Hannah_SWyman) September 25, 2022
Police are looking for the suspect, who is described by Kearns as a black male with a black hoodie and black medical mask.
The fact that the shooting occurred within the park itself is prompting a strong reaction from locals, who are questioning how a firearm made its way inside the park.
Parkgoers are typically required to pass through a medical detector, while those with bags must submit them to security officers, who search them with a baton, as this reporter, who has attended the park many times, has witnessed. However, the process is often lax, with officers passing off the bag after only an external examination. This reporter has witnessed this happen several times over the years.
“Now that I think of it, someone could sneak something in past security pretty easily,” Connor Amsler, a frequent patron of the park, told the Washington Examiner.
Security seems to have been particularly lax on Saturday night, with several eyewitnesses telling CBS News that it was almost nonexistent.
“They barely even looked in my bag when we came in,” Scott Arigo of South Fayette told the news outlet. “People were talking about the stuff they had on them inside and they made it through security. They were just letting everyone walk on through.”
The latest security breach may affect Kennywood’s fruitful Halloween season. However, some patrons announced their willingness to still attend.
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“I’d definitely be more nervous about going to Kennywood,” said Amsler, who also noted that “they’d probably raise security,” so he doubts another incident like Saturday will happen again.
