Bystander struck by bullet in Downtown Pittsburgh, police say
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A woman was grazed by a bullet in Downtown Pittsburgh Tuesday afternoon during a dispute between two men, police said.
Police responded to the intersection of Smithfield Street and Fourth Avenue around 12:10 p.m. Officers found a woman with a gunshot wound to her lower leg.
“The shooting occurred during a dispute between two individuals on Smithfield Street,” police said in a news release. “The shooting victim was not involved in the dispute, and was walking past.”
She was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The intended victim remained on the scene to talk with police.
At the nearby City-Council Building, a sergeant-at-arms locked down the Pittsburgh City Council meeting and the mayor’s office as the incident unfolded.
“It’s certainly concerning that there would be any shootings anywhere in our city in broad daylight,” said Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle, who represents the area where Tuesday’s shooting occurred.
I am thankful for the rapid response from @PghPolice and @PghEMS today who provided aid to an innocent bystander who was the victim of another act of senseless gun violence. The PBP will work diligently to find the individual responsible for this act. pic.twitter.com/fyZnSNSS4U
— Mayor Ed Gainey (@MayorEdGainey) November 15, 2022
Lavelle said he is working with the administration and experts with the city’s group violence initiative to find solutions that could stop the increasing violence.
“There’s also a plan to increase police presence in Downtown,” Lavelle said, adding that the proposed 2023 budget includes additional funding for public safety.
The investigation into Tuesday’s shooting is ongoing. Police said there is not an active shooter or threat to the public.
“All too often people in our city, and around the country, are choosing to settle their arguments with the lethal force of a gun,” Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey posted in a statement on Twitter. “This violence has resulted in too many innocent people losing their lives or being injured due to these actions.”
Staff writer Julia Felton contributed to this report.