A viral video captured chaos on Pittsburgh’s East Carson Street around 2 a.m. Saturday.
Crowds were seen running after shots were fired. Pittsburgh police say they’re investigating after a vehicle was found with gunshots.
People who spoke with KDKA-TV’s Jessica Riley say what’s seen online isn’t the full story.
Businesses and people on the South Side don’t want to be grouped with the after-midnight activities. They said it’s a safe place to be, otherwise, and think the violence shown online only gives it a worse name.
Video shows the moment the crowd scattered and police swarmed in after gunfire erupted on East Carson Street.
People who live and work here say that every time videos like this of fighting, shouting, and violence get spread widely across social media platforms, it paints a bad image.
“Yeah, it does bother me because we’re impacted by it,” said business owner Hannah Smith. “People don’t want to come here because of the violence, but it’s not like that during the day, so I think this is a safe place to come to, and I think people should know that.”
This kind of behavior isn’t new to the South Side, and many blame it on the nightlife culture.
“I think it comes down to a combination of being out all night, being inebriated, and pretty much nothing more. An area of town won’t make people angry. They’re probably just angry in the first place and don’t have anywhere to put,” said Andrew Robbins.
André Taylor owns a few Airbnbs nearby. He says the South Side has a lot going on, and it’s frustrating to see its image shaped by a few viral moments.
“We’re down here now, and there’s nothing going on; it’s a beautiful day. So I don’t pay attention to the internet. However, I can say it would be overwhelming seeing those videos and can give the wrong perception of East Carson,” Taylor added.
That thought is shared by others.
“Carson’s pretty cool, but it has its problems,” said Shaquon Phillips, who frequents the area. “The young people come over here and start problems, but other than that, stay calm and collected.”
Police say they are investigating this latest incident, but haven’t released any other details.
