Mayor speaks on safety amid radio channel threats, upcoming events in Pittsburgh
Updated: 6:13 PM EST Mar 5, 2026
Allegheny County police and Allegheny County Emergency Services continue a joint investigation to pin down whoever is responsible for sending racist and antisemitic messages across police communications channels.As the investigation continues, Mayor Corey O’Connor says it is imperative that the channels are secure ahead of three major events in the very near future. “We have parades coming up, the marathon, and obviously the draft, so preparing for all those things, I think that’s why you’re seeing a lot of national attention to this, just to make sure all channels are going to be clear and everybody can communicate when we do have large events coming in the next couple of months,” O’Connor said. Authorities say some of the messages caught on the police channels include threats against the mayor, who describes the culprit as someone with ill intent.”This is somebody that has animosity towards a number of individuals, hate speech, to an extremist right now,” he said. City Council member Anthony Coghill says the messages were sent across police channels in Zone 3 and Zone 6, which are in his district. “Not only is it disturbing to everyone who hears these messages, but they come over our police frequencies, which is really disturbing, and the two frequencies that they came over were Zone 3 and Zone 6, and those two stations patrol my district,” Coghill said.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
PITTSBURGH —
Allegheny County police and Allegheny County Emergency Services continue a joint investigation to pin down whoever is responsible for sending racist and antisemitic messages across police communications channels.
As the investigation continues, Mayor Corey O’Connor says it is imperative that the channels are secure ahead of three major events in the very near future.
“We have parades coming up, the marathon, and obviously the draft, so preparing for all those things, I think that’s why you’re seeing a lot of national attention to this, just to make sure all channels are going to be clear and everybody can communicate when we do have large events coming in the next couple of months,” O’Connor said.
Authorities say some of the messages caught on the police channels include threats against the mayor, who describes the culprit as someone with ill intent.
“This is somebody that has animosity towards a number of individuals, hate speech, to an extremist right now,” he said.
City Council member Anthony Coghill says the messages were sent across police channels in Zone 3 and Zone 6, which are in his district.
“Not only is it disturbing to everyone who hears these messages, but they come over our police frequencies, which is really disturbing, and the two frequencies that they came over were Zone 3 and Zone 6, and those two stations patrol my district,” Coghill said.
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