STORY. THIS TARGET STORE BEHIND ME HAD TO BE PUT ON LOCKDOWN AFTER POLICE SAY HUNDREDS OF TEENAGERS TOOK OVER A NEARBY PARK. WELL, NOW THE CITY IS WORKING ON AN INITIATIVE TO STOP THESE TYPE OF DISTURBANCES. POLICE SAY ABOUT 400 TEENS TOOK OVER LIBERTY GREEN PARK AND BEGAN FIGHTING. AFTER ORGANIZING THE DISTURBANCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. TEENS JUST NEED SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEIR TIME, THEIR SPARE TIME. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SCHOOL IS OUT. MAYOR COREY O’CONNOR SAYS THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND RIGHT HERE IN PITTSBURGH, BUT IT NEEDS TO STOP. YESTERDAY, WE OBVIOUSLY PUT OUT OUR COVID RESPONSE, BUT WHAT WE ALSO HAVE REACHED OUT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL. I THINK THE LEARN AND EARN PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CHAMPION. USED TO JUST BE A SUMMER PROGRAM. NOW IT’S YEAR LONG, AND I THINK PROVIDING PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS ARE ONE THING. BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. PITTSBURGH CITY COUNCILMAN KHARI MOSLEY SAID THE SOCIAL MEDIA POST THAT THE CROWD INVOLVED TEAMS FROM ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND VERY FEW FROM THE EAST LIBERTY AREA. HE SAYS THIS COMES AS THE CITY IS GETTING READY TO LAUNCH ITS COMMUNITY HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SAFETY STREET TEAM NEXT WEEKEND. THEY SHOULD JUST STAY AWAY FROM THE NEGATIVITY BECAUSE IT’S NOT GOING TO GET THEM NOWHERE. OFFICERS SAY WHEN THEY SPOTTED THE LARGE CROWD, THEY IMMEDIATELY CALLED SEVERAL UNITS FROM ALL POLICE ZONES TO RESPOND. THE CITY SAYS THREE ROUNDS OF DISPERSAL ORDERS WERE GIVEN OVER THE PA SYSTEM TEN MINUTES APART, BUT THEY SAY THE TEENS DID NOT LEAVE. IT’S KIND OF HARD TO CONTROL UNLESS YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, POLICE ALL OVER THE PLACE LOOKING ALL THE TIME. NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR FOR EAST LIBERTY AND THE EAST END OF THE CITY. AND ESPECIALLY AT THIS INTERSECTION. THIS INTERSECTION IS WHAT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS PRETTY CROWDED. TARGET WAS NOTIFIED TO GO ON TEMPORARY LOCKDOWN SO THE LARGE GROUP WOULDN’T TAKE OVER THE STORE. THREE OFFICERS USED PEPPER SPRAY AND THE TEENAGERS RAN AWAY FROM THE PARK. POLICE SAY NO
Police say 400 teens took over an East Liberty park, causing Target store to go on lockdown
Updated: 6:57 PM EDT Jun 18, 2026
Police said a gathering of about 400 teens at Liberty Green Park in East Liberty, organized through social media, led to fights and a temporary lockdown of the nearby Target store.Lisa Price, a Garfield resident, said, “Teens just need something to do with their time, their spare time, especially now that school is out.”Mayor Corey O’Connor addressed the issue, saying, “Yesterday we put out our co-response (team), but we have also reached out for other programs as well. I think the Learn and Earn program is something that we want to champion. It used to just be a summer program; now it’s yearlong. And I think providing programs and opportunities for kids are one thing, but then also making sure people are held accountable.”Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube ChannelCity Councilman Khari Mosely shared on social media that the crowd primarily consisted of teens from Allegheny County, with very few from the East Liberty area. He also noted that the city is preparing to launch its Community Health, Wellness and Safety Street Team next weekend.”They should just stay away from the negativity, because it’s not going to get them nowhere,” said Curtis Lyman, of East Liberty.Officers said they issued three rounds of dispersal orders over the PA system, spaced 10 minutes apart, but the teens did not leave.Brandon Kowalecki, of East Liberty, said, “It’s kind of hard to control unless you have police all over the place looking all the time.” He added, “Not a good look for East Liberty and the east end of the city, and especially at this intersection. This intersection, as you can see, is pretty crowded.”Target was notified to go on temporary lockdown so the large group wouldn’t take over the store at the intersection of Penn and Centre avenues. Officers used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, and the teens eventually fled the park.Police said no arrests were made during the incident.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
Police said a gathering of about 400 teens at Liberty Green Park in East Liberty, organized through social media, led to fights and a temporary lockdown of the nearby Target store.
Lisa Price, a Garfield resident, said, “Teens just need something to do with their time, their spare time, especially now that school is out.”
Mayor Corey O’Connor addressed the issue, saying, “Yesterday we put out our co-response (team), but we have also reached out for other programs as well. I think the Learn and Earn program is something that we want to champion. It used to just be a summer program; now it’s yearlong. And I think providing programs and opportunities for kids are one thing, but then also making sure people are held accountable.”
Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
City Councilman Khari Mosely shared on social media that the crowd primarily consisted of teens from Allegheny County, with very few from the East Liberty area. He also noted that the city is preparing to launch its Community Health, Wellness and Safety Street Team next weekend.
“They should just stay away from the negativity, because it’s not going to get them nowhere,” said Curtis Lyman, of East Liberty.
Officers said they issued three rounds of dispersal orders over the PA system, spaced 10 minutes apart, but the teens did not leave.
Brandon Kowalecki, of East Liberty, said, “It’s kind of hard to control unless you have police all over the place looking all the time.” He added, “Not a good look for East Liberty and the east end of the city, and especially at this intersection. This intersection, as you can see, is pretty crowded.”
Target was notified to go on temporary lockdown so the large group wouldn’t take over the store at the intersection of Penn and Centre avenues. Officers used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, and the teens eventually fled the park.
Police said no arrests were made during the incident.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.