BEEN A NUMBER OF CRIMES CARRIED OUT THIS MONTH BY TEENAGERS. THERE’S JUST SO MUCH HATE. PITTSBURGHERS TELL ME. SEEING THIS IS TOUGH, I GET CRAZY, I GET, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND AND THE TEEN VIOLENCE AND DISTURBANCES IN THE CITY HAS MANY, EVEN OTHER TEENS WORRIED. I DON’T FEEL SAFE. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE’S GOING TO COME UP BEHIND ME. MAYBE LIKE, HIT ME. SOMEONE LIKE A GROUP OF PEOPLE, THEY’RE GOING TO COME AND ATTACK ME. AMARA, FATTY AND KATE ANGELA ARE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, AND THEY TELL ME SEEING THESE CRIMES CARRIED OUT BY THEIR PEERS IS DISTURBING. JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE VIOLENT ATTACK BY A TEENAGE BOY OUTSIDE WHOLE FOODS. SIX TEENAGE GIRLS WERE CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A WOMAN OUTSIDE THE NEARBY SEPHORA AT THE MANOR THEATER IN SQUIRREL HILL. EMPLOYEES THERE SAY THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH REPEATED DISTURBANCES WHERE TEENS DISRUPT MOVIEGOERS. POLICE TELL ME THEY RESPONDED HERE WEDNESDAY AND AS A RESULT OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS, JAM ON WALNUT HAS NOW BEEN CANCELED, ACCORDING TO A POST BY THINK SHADYSIDE. AND PLACES SUCH AS MARKET SQUARE ARE NOW REQUIRING MINORS TO BE ESCORTED BY ADULTS AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD AT CERTAIN TIMES. IT CONCERNS ME BECAUSE, LIKE EVEN WITH SUMMER COMING UP, A LOT OF LIKE BUSINESSES MIGHT LIKE CLOSE DOWN EARLY OR LIKE NOT ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE INSIDE AND IT’S GOING TO RUIN IT FOR A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND WHILE THE CONCERN IS CLEAR, THE SOLUTION, MANY SAY, IS NOT. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO RATHER THAN JUST GO AROUND LOOKING FOR KIDS. I ASKED THE MAYOR’S OFFICE ABOUT THIS CRIME AND THE OTHER CRIMES BEING CARRIED OUT HERE IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. BUT THEY TELL ME AT THIS POINT THEY ARE NOT MAKING A COMMENT UNTIL THEY HAVE MORE INFORMATIO
East Liberty assault highlights growing concerns over teen-related crimes Pittsburgh
Updated: 7:39 PM EDT May 29, 2026
A violent attack in East Liberty has raised concerns about teen-related crimes in Pittsburgh, with police reporting the victim was unconscious, bleeding from the head, and required CPR at the scene.“There’s just so much hate,” one Pittsburgh resident said, reacting to Thursday’s incident.Amara Faty, a high school senior from East Liberty, shared his fears about the growing disturbances.“I don’t feel safe. I feel like someone’s going to come up behind me, maybe hit me. Someone, like, a group of people, they’re going to come and attack me,” Faty said.More >> Man in critical condition, 16-year-old charged in East Liberty assaultFaty and fellow high school senior Kayden Jawula said they are disturbed by crimes carried out by their peers. Just weeks before Thursday’s attack, six teenage girls were charged with assaulting a woman at a nearby Sephora store.Employees at Manor Theatre in Squirrel Hill have also reported repeated disturbances, with teens disrupting moviegoers. Pittsburgh police confirm they responded to the movie theater on Wednesday.In response to community concerns, the Jam on Walnut event has been canceled, according to a post by Think Shadyside. Earlier this month, Market Square implemented a policy requiring minors to be escorted by adults 21 or older during certain times.Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel“It concerns me because even with summer coming up, a lot of businesses might close down early or not allow as many people inside, and it’s going to ruin it for a lot of other people,” Jawula said.While the community is clearly worried, finding solutions remains a challenge.“There has to be something that we can do rather than just go around looking for kids,” said Chris Donnorummo of Oakland.Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office declined to comment on the crimes, stating they need more information before addressing the issue.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
A violent attack in East Liberty has raised concerns about teen-related crimes in Pittsburgh, with police reporting the victim was unconscious, bleeding from the head, and required CPR at the scene.
“There’s just so much hate,” one Pittsburgh resident said, reacting to Thursday’s incident.
Amara Faty, a high school senior from East Liberty, shared his fears about the growing disturbances.
“I don’t feel safe. I feel like someone’s going to come up behind me, maybe hit me. Someone, like, a group of people, they’re going to come and attack me,” Faty said.
More >> Man in critical condition, 16-year-old charged in East Liberty assault
Faty and fellow high school senior Kayden Jawula said they are disturbed by crimes carried out by their peers. Just weeks before Thursday’s attack, six teenage girls were charged with assaulting a woman at a nearby Sephora store.
Employees at Manor Theatre in Squirrel Hill have also reported repeated disturbances, with teens disrupting moviegoers. Pittsburgh police confirm they responded to the movie theater on Wednesday.
In response to community concerns, the Jam on Walnut event has been canceled, according to a post by Think Shadyside. Earlier this month, Market Square implemented a policy requiring minors to be escorted by adults 21 or older during certain times.
Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
“It concerns me because even with summer coming up, a lot of businesses might close down early or not allow as many people inside, and it’s going to ruin it for a lot of other people,” Jawula said.
While the community is clearly worried, finding solutions remains a challenge.
“There has to be something that we can do rather than just go around looking for kids,” said Chris Donnorummo of Oakland.
Mayor Corey O’Connor’s office declined to comment on the crimes, stating they need more information before addressing the issue.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.