Pittsburgh leaders look for answers after 3rd week of chaos on the South Side
City leaders and South Side business owners are looking for answers after disruptive crowds filled East Carson Street for the third weekend in a row, firing shots and throwing fireworks at police.
Another weekend brought another round of mayhem on the South Side as a horde of underage kids again merged with those leaving the bars.
Arrests were made early Saturday morning after shots were fired, and two suspects were taken into custody for throwing fireworks at police, who struggled to maintain order.
"Our officers show unbelievable restraint and to see them be treated that way is inexcusable and something that I can't tolerate," said Pittsburgh Councilmember Bob Charland.
From July 2 to July 6, the city's South Side Entertainment Patrol made 10 traffic stops, issued a dozen citations, towed seven cars, made 12 arrests and 26 non-traffic arrests and seized seven firearms.
Charland says they need more help, and since most of the revelers are from out of town, the city will be asking the county and state police for assistance.
"We do need additional help from county resources and state resources to come down here, again because this is a regional asset that we have to patrol locally," Charland said.
"Really what's gone on now is unacceptable to the residents who live here. There's got to be action taken," said Don Berman of the South Side Community Action Network.
Charland said the city is developing a new plan to thwart weekend violence, which will be announced later this week, but Berman said it must deal with the underage youth who congregate on East Carson Street.
"They've been kicked out of the malls and all these private property places they can no longer be. And this is the worst place for them. It's not good for them. They don't patronize the businesses. It's not good for the community," Berman said.
Details of that strategy should be released in the coming days, but whatever methods have been employed so far have fallen short as the South Side continues to look for answers.
