Several injured running from Point State Park during fireworks, mistaking firecrackers for gunshots
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Several people were injured and a woman was taken to the hospital when someone set off firecrackers during Pittsburgh's official Fourth of July fireworks display, causing people to panic and run from Point State Park.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said EMS treated a total of 33 patients from around the city during Independence Day celebrations. Four people were hospitalized.
The majority of people treated had minor injuries after running from Point State Park when someone reportedly set off firecrackers. Public Safety said people ran, believing shots had been fired. Several people were treated and released, except for a 70-year-old woman who Public Safety said was taken to the hospital with a head injury.
Alan Freed was there with a friend when he saw the crowds start running away. He shot video of when the panic started.
"This is the scene you see play out on the news. People screaming and running. You had to take it seriously because maybe this is what's happening," he said.
Freed started to run away from the crowd. His thought was a shooter would go after a group.
"Everyone was getting up and screaming and running out of there. There were people yelling about an active shooter," Freed said.
A brief period of panic halfway through the Pittsburgh fireworks show. People running from Point State Park after hearing what sounded like gun shots. A police source tells me no shots or shooting confirmed. KDKA-TV | CBS Pittsburgh
Posted by Jennifer Borrasso -TV News on Tuesday, July 4, 2023
"It suddenly died down as quickly as it got started," he added.
There was no word on how the firecracker got into the park.
"Any time you're in public nowadays you have to be thinking about this kind of thing," Freed said.
Three people were also treated for minor injuries when a firecracker was set off near the Wyndham Hotel just outside the park, Public Safety said.
There were also two drug-related arrests and four non-traffic citations for disorderly conduct, harassment and fighting.
The fireworks task force was called for multiple complaints around the city and handed out some citations.
Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said there were "larger-than-usual" crowds and thanked first responders for their work.