Several Hurt Following Kennywood Shooting

Three wounded by gunfire; others injured in exit from park

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
September 25, 2022
Posted in: Crime and Police News

(UPDATED with statement from Kennywood management.)

Kennywood will remain closed until Sept. 30 as police and park officials investigate a shooting on Saturday night near the Musik Express ride.

Three people — including two 15-year-olds — were taken to area hospitals with gunshot wounds, while other people reportedly suffered minor injuries while running for the exits following the 10:49 p.m. incident at the West Mifflin amusement park.

Witnesses said that a brawl broke out near the Pirate Ship ride shortly before shots were fired. Dozens of police officers from throughout the Mon Valley descended on the park following the shooting, which caused the closure of Kennywood Boulevard into the early morning hours on Sunday.

The park is “closely collaborating with police,” said Mark Pauls, Kennywood general manager, in a prepared statement. “We will continue to cooperate with authorities throughout their investigation.”

Early news reports and social-media gossip indicated that one person was fatally wounded, but the speculation was not accurate.

“We are greatly saddened by the violence that occurred last night,” Pauls said. “Our thoughts are with those who were injured as a result of the incident, as well as all guests and team members affected by what happened. We have made services available for team members in need of support at this time.”

Friday was the first night for Kennywood’s “Phantom Fall Fest,” an autumn- and Halloween-themed event that includes seven haunted houses and four “scare zones” that open after sundown.

Allegheny County police Lt. Venerando Costa said that according to witnesses, two groups of juveniles began fighting shortly before 11 p.m. During the altercation, shots were fired.

The suspected shooter was described as a young Black male who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a dark-colored COVID-19 mask, who fled the scene on foot. Police recovered a handgun near the shooting scene, Costa said.

Responding officers found three gunshot wound victims, Costa said, including a 39-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the leg, one 15-year-old male with a gunshot wound to the leg and a second 15-year-old male with a grazing wound to the leg.

The adult male and the first 15-year-old were taken to hospitals by ambulance, where the adult was treated and released, Costa said. The teen-ager remains hospitalized in stable condition, he said.

The victims’ names were not released.

The second teen-ager left the scene and was later transported by a family member to an area hospital, Costa said. He is listed in stable condition, Costa said.

It was not immediately clear how a handgun was brought into the park. Kennywood has for decades used metal detectors to screen all patrons and their belongings at entrances, and all guests, employees and management are subject to search. Off-duty municipal police officers patrol the park in the evenings.

“Our entry security protocols include a state-of-the-art weapons detection system put into place at the start of this season (as well as) video scanning and bag checks,” Pauls said. “We regularly supplement our park security staff with officers from Allegheny County Police Department and West Mifflin Police Department, who were contracted to support our teams during operating hours, including Saturday evening.”

One Pittsburgh TV station reported that a handgun may have been tossed over or passed through a fence along Kennywood Boulevard prior to the incident.

Costa said anyone with information or video concerning the incident is being asked to call the Allegheny County Police Tip line at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1-833-255-8477); callers can remain anonymous.

The department can also be reached via its social media sites.

Originally published September 25, 2022.

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