Incident at Pittsburgh Festival Injures Six
Authorities reported that six individuals suffered injuries after an unattended vehicle rolled into a crowd during a festival in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
This unsettling event took place around 6:30 PM in East Liberty’s parking lot, where various activities, including the East Liberty Black Arts Soul Stepping and Boots on the Ground Wellness Festival, were occurring.
Reports indicate that five women and one man were struck by the vehicle, which rolled into them after it was mistakenly believed that the driver had put it in park.
“I was taking a picture when it all happened,” said an eyewitness, Ricco JL Martello, a photographer at the event. “I suddenly saw the car moving towards the lane. I dropped my camera, but by then, it was too late.”
Martello described how items from a nearby booth were thrown about after the car struck it. “It was chaos for a brief moment,” he mentioned, reflecting on the suddenness of the situation.
Witnesses noted another person attempting to stop the vehicle but, unfortunately, the effort came too late.
Following the incident, police stated that five of the victims were transported to a nearby hospital; two were in stable condition while three others were in severe but stable condition. The rest received assistance on-site.
Eddie and Anita Drummond, the festival organizers, shared that their family members were among those who were hurt. Despite the incident, they highlighted the importance of continuing the celebration. “It was an unfortunate accident,” Eddie remarked. “Maybe the gear didn’t shift properly, and then it rolled into the crowd. It’s saddening that people got hurt.”
Authorities noted that the incident appeared to be accidental, mentioning that charges were unlikely to follow.
