Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams expressed confidence Monday in the city’s ability to keep Market Square safe despite a massive brawl breaking out there Sunday among dozens of juveniles, some of whom deployed pepper spray.
“The incident itself is one that we don’t like to see, but they do occur,” Williams told reporters outside of the City-County Building Monday afternoon, a few blocks away from where a gathering of kids escalated into a fight that culminated with police officers also using pepper spray. “These things have happened in the past, and we expect that they could happen in the future.”
Seven minors are facing citations for disorderly conduct, according to Eliza Durham, a public safety spokeswoman.
Williams, who made his comment during a hastily arranged press conference, said he wants to focus more on “prevention and intervention” to curb such problematic behavior among kids hanging out Downtown.
According to police, officers responded to reports of a large gathering of kids at Forbes Avenue and Market Square around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Some of the juveniles began using pepper spray after a fight broke out among about 40 people.
Police officers used pepper spray to break up the crowd after their orders to disperse were ignored, officials said. Paramedics treated about 20 people for exposure to pepper spray.
Williams could not pinpoint precisely what caused the gathering in Market Square to devolve in such a manner.
He said social media could sometimes be a factor in such incidents.
Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, said his group is working with Pittsburgh and Allegheny County officials “to implement proactive strategies focused on engagement, visibility and prevention.”
Business owners offered little comment Monday about the turmoil a day earlier in Downtown Pittsburgh’s most iconic public square.
Staffers at three Market Square businesses — gastropub The Yard, the Original Oyster House restaurant, and Nicholas Coffee & Tea Co. — played down recent incidents and said they feel the square is still very safe.
The coffee roasters opened their Market Square location more than a century ago. In 2020, the Oyster House celebrated its 150th birthday.
Representatives from Market Square’s corporate-owned shops — including Starbucks, Dunkin’, Moe’s Southwest Grill and DiBella’s Subs — did not return phone calls, emails or website forms seeking comment.
Neither did Primanti Bros. or Space Bar, which also operate in Market Square.
Some $15 million worth of improvements to Market Square will be unveiled before the 2026 NFL Draft comes to town next month.
Williams encouraged parents and guardians to keep tabs on where their kids are. Some children who have been seen congregating in crowds Downtown are as young as 8, he said.
Often, kids who are gathering Downtown are just “horse playing” and will eventually leave without incident, according to Williams. But, he cautioned, it takes only one or two instigators to cause a problem.
“There’s a potential for it to occur any time,” Williams said.
Williams said officials are piecing together plans for how to deter rowdy behavior while still ensuring kids have a place Downtown.
“We want the children to be able to participate in a healthy and safe way,” he said.
A juvenile curfew is not “off the table,” according to Williams.
TribLive staff writer Justin Vellucci contributed to this report.
