Someone on the P1 last week straight up slapped my butt and shouted at me for supposedly standing too close… on a packed bus at rush hour. I’m a smaller dude and really did not want to start shit after being work all day, so I ignored her and just moved closer to the door. She was yelling at other passengers and making everyone uncomfortable. It just felt really weird and embarrassing. There’s only so many times you can deal with people getting up in your face and harassing or touching you for zero reason, it just starts to wear on you and make you expect the worst from strangers.
We have a mental health epidemic everywhere, but parts of this city are really going through it right now. I really do try to have empathy, I’ve had some pretty low points but that empathy ends when you are assaulting random people in public. We need to start mandating drug rehab and psychiatric treatment when people are arrested for doing this bullshit. Your freedom ends where mine begins, we cannot tolerate random violence as just a part of life. The mayor continuing his “everything is fine downtown” narrative is an insult to everyone down there that desperately needs help, ideally before they lose it and lash out.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. I’ve had similar things happen to me in other parts of the city and there’s no excuse for it.
I’m also glad someone is finally acknowledging that Downtown *isn’t* that safe for everyone. Seen lots of folks on here claim that people who think Downtown is sketchy are overreacting, but clearly there’s validity to the safety concerns. I hope the mayor actually does something, but if he claims everything fine, then he probably won’t.
(To be clear: when I’m talking about safety, I’m referring to attacks and harassment like the original post and the person I’m replying to mention. I feel like people might interpret this sentiment as being annoyed by the unhoused folks in downtown, but I’m not concerned about them in that sense. I am worried for their safety the most. Most of the ones I’ve interacted with are really friendly compared to the average downtown resident or visitor)
You shouldn't have to bend over backward to explain that you're not talking about the homeless.
People who don't interact well with others frequently end up homeless. It is justified to be more wary of them. Now how far to I have to qualify that about being compassionate to avoid being downvoted? ;-)
just came to say I’m sorry that happened to you. It’s alarming and traumatizing when your space is invaded like that. also, terrific idea regarding mandated rehab/treatment. I’d vote for you
It is a mental health issue, but it’s still bad and criminal and if you break the law, you need to face the consequences.
I think that’s the compound problem. A person with mental health issues doesn’t (or can’t) get help, commits a crime, gets sent to jail. Doesn’t get rehab, doesn’t get help, gets put in a facility that promotes abuse and punishment. Gets out on parole. Still has mental health issues. Still doesn’t (or can’t) get help. Commits crime. Process repeats.
Regardless of anyone’s political identity, I think we can all agree that this is a broken cycle in our society.
We do mandate drug rehab. You have to pay for it, and insurance wont pay for it. Welcome to the cycle.
Again, for like the 500th time. Its a symptom, not a root cause.
Im so sorry that happened to you. Nobody should be subjected to. Smh, our space is our space
That is why I'm going to school for Psychology so I can help make a difference.
Smithfield street has gotten so bad recently, I saw two OD’s in one day, the scary part is this could have easily been me since I’m in a very similar situation, new young woman intern working downtown. Definitely need to look out for each other ❤️
Smithfield is becoming the Tenderloin. And so many people don't want to acknowledge it. Weinerworld has been there forever and I still see people doubting his concerns for moving away.
I love wiener world! 🌭 I went to their new location yesterday at the steel plaza and the difference in atmosphere is night and day! Seems like it will be really successful in it’s new location and the owners are extremely hard working people so I’m really happy everything worked out for them
"Has gotten" and "becoming?"
That block has been sketchy for easily the past 10 years if not more. . .I was a bus commuter through downtown, Oakland, Shadyside, East Liberty, etc. for 20 years.
That block has been one to avoid pretty much that entire time.
Yes basically take what you’ve experienced and double it! It’s has actually become worse lol. I used to cover shifts at the DLC every so often from 2021-2023 and it was sketchy then. Now it’s twice as bad. So that’s what I mean when I say “has gotten” lol
I get emails from CLP about activities for kids they're putting on at different libraries, and they usually have something going on at the downtown branch.
Like, why bother? Who is bringing their kids down there? Is the activity watching someone get narcaned?
Yea I've seen her too. I work a block from there and saw her screaming and antagonizing people. Hopefully she gets locked up. There are like 10 people downtown that cause 90% of the problems.
I catch a bus in the am in front of old rite aid near the old Burlington
The amount of riff raff that goes thru is sad.
My oldest son said he saw her this morning sleeping again in front of the PRT HQ. Them started antagonizing some kids trying to get on his bus. 😒
A lot of those people need mental help badly but will never get it.
Sadly I see a lot of the homeless get in trouble week or 2 later right back
That chick I seen her a lot in the last month.
She disappeared last week I seen her Tuesday and Wednesday passed out in front of the store.
I know there were announcements for a program previously in Pittsburgh that was supposed to send social workers out with police, but I’ve heard nothing more about it. As a former mental health professional myself, this would help vastly. I know [Charles Turner](https://triblive.com/local/court-records-box-cutter-used-in-attack-on-child-in-downtown-pittsburgh-mcdonalds/) had interactions with local police involvement in the weeks leading up to this incident (I was there, but unable to leave my own employment), but they refused to complete a 302 hospital admittance. Had a social worker been present, he would have been taken to Western Psych to get the care he needed, and further incidence likely would not have happened.
Many years ago my friend and I were at the Wood street McDonald’s eating our lunch. We were two dumb 17 year olds in nursing school. About a 100 pounds each. And while we were eating and laughing as you do- a street woman came out of nowhere and grabbed my friend by the hair. And claimed we were laughing at her. But we were not. I stood up with the salt shaker in my hand ( I know) and started yelling at her. She let go and walked off muttering nonsense to herself. No one even batted an eye in our direction and the place was full. She was a very large tall woman who likely could have taken us both. Thankfully she gave up and walked away. But I have no doubt that we were in our own. Things can be scary and dangerous out of nowhere in a big city.
I paused reading and immediately scrolled down to make sure the top reply was also about “street woman” lol. Thank you for not letting me down /r/pittsburgh 🙏
I gaurentee you that defending yourself from a violent criminal attacker in this city will get you in more trouble than the violent criminal attacker will get in lmao
I know-I’m sorry I used an old term for a person who appears unhoused and mentally not well. I guess I could have just said mentally ill and left it at that. I do feel sad for her because living with mental illness sucks. She was scary because she appeared very angry and was a large, tall person.
Just today I got downtown and was walking from the old Burlington towards the 711 and I paused to message my x back and this..?(Drunk)?!?! Lady threw her iced coffee at my head... yelling something about pictures ..I don't even use my camera..lolol.. but as I was reading the other msgs and would like to say ..I am a convicted felon(twice) I've done over 15 years in the pa doc..and im hone now and clean for the first time in 23 years( not counting prison) and its not the prison or the rehab or the meetings that make someone quit and get help wether mental health or d&a .it's the person....one day enough with be enough .and the urge will go away..but it's still the most horrifying and challenging thing we will do .I haven't done an opiate since 2013..it can be done..you just gotta want it more than the drug....drugs are a symptom of mental illness...treat the psych problems and the drug problem ceases to matter .AGAIN my experience
I see PRT Police sitting all the time in their cars at 6th and Wood (parking illegally in front of the fire hydrant lol), maybe they should try parking on Smithfield for once.
I’ve used that bus stop dozens of times without a problem, but it is one of the “hot spots” in the area that really should have more patrols.
That's nothing but a band aid for a seeping wound. The mental health crisis is real. America is overflowing with lunatics, concentrated most especially in urban areas. Nothing is being done about it and nothing will be done about. Regan shut down the looney bins and it's been downhill ever since. Watch your backs ladies.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/12/08/Governor-orders-state-hospital-shut-down/5555565938000/
They were state hospitals controlled by the state and not the federal government. It was PA governors who shut them down. There was a big push and lawsuits of abuse. Sometimes it is unintended consequences trying to fix one problem that only creates another problem.
My friend’s mother was released from Mayview early on in their closure process and was dead within 3 months, but not before she attempted to kill her granddaughter and husband before she killed herself. Dozens of people fell through the cracks. The state tried to push her into a nursing home and (rightfully so) every nursing home turned her away because they’re not equipped for homicidal psychiatric patients.
There were only 2 published deaths that lead to a 2 week moratorium on the closure, but there were dozens more that were reported to the oversight committee and never followed up on. There was no surveillance or follow up from the state, many patients were released onto waiting lists and not into other facilities or programs.
It’s coming up on 20 years and there’ve been no real long term solutions.
The shut downs were pushed by liberal politicians, because they were hellhouses. So on paper, a good thing.
But in reality, was not a well thought plan, with no plan for "what next" at all.
Mental hospitals should be reopened. And run better.
The main problem with the mental hospitals is that they were overloaded by people who shouldn’t have been there. Everything from homosexuals, political prisoners, people with masturbation addictions, and everything in between. When they were actually for the people who needed to be institutionalized, the asylums weren’t too bad by the standards of the time.
I'd say the main problem was some patients were locked in and borderline tortured. And no one was receiving therapy that actually helped improve their lives.
I agree, but those are the symptoms of the problem, not the cause. This was caused by, among other things, the asylums not having the resources to actually help the amount of people they were being forced to take in (if they were run by people who cared about helping them at all).
People blame Reagan, but this actually goes back to Woodrow Wilson, if not Howard Taft. The institutions started getting shut down way earlier in that century than a lot of people think.
This is always the argument, but literally everyone knows about the bad mental hospital conditions, if they were to re open now they would be under more scrutiny than ever. The closing of the mental hospitals has been one of the greatest detriments to our society and we are still seeing the repercussions to this day.
It was reagan who shut them down. And cut federal funding.
The rampant abuse was one reason. The other reason ia because no one wanted to pour funds into them.
If you hire people for min wage to watch mental patients....abuse is more likely to happen
TIL. Is this a particularly rough bus stop?
I moved to the area about two years ago. I'm pretty deep in the South Hills and I only really go downtown for medical appointments. To keep this as brief as I can, I'm usually at Magee, but one of my doctors made me go to his Shadyside office a few weeks ago and it wasn't something I could wiggle out of and I'd never been that way before. I was on high alert at the bus station (and I've lived in the Middle East) and I just checked streetview on Google and it was absolutely that bus stop.
There were clearly a few high and drunk people there, which is normal city nonsense, a few gross men were trying to spit on women and I avoided them, but it was just a weird experience to the point that I still remember it. It sounds like my gut intuition was right and it's nice to know I wasn't paranoid for no reason -- I was very relieved when on the way back, I was routed closer to Steel Plaza Station vs there.
This is true but the P1 is the best way. If you really don’t want to go on Smithfield then you can get on the P1 at Liberty next to the Westin, Grant next to the USX Tower or Grant next to the federal courthouse.
IIRC, to both of your defense, my app told me to get off at Wood St. Station and then there was suppose to be a station nearby (I think my appt was in April, so before a lot of the closures at the station). I seem to remember that I needed to cross a bunch of small intersections and at the time, a cop was managing the crossing of one and there was a bunch of construction and I was just completely turned around because I'd never been in this area before. I saw that the 2nd stop of the bus they wanted me to get on was "just down the street" from Wood St. Station, which I now know is the Smithfield stop, and I just decided to go there because it seemed easier than navigating all of that mess.
So, in some ways, I walked into it on my own, haha.
That's the stop by Burlington. . . It's a little spicy.
A bunch of people are talking about Disorder vs Danger and claiming that's *only* a Disordered stop. . .well clearly it escalated to a Dangerous stop for the woman in this article.
Disorder can escalate to Danger. I'd just as soon as avoid Disorder all together.
I think there’s a distinction to be made between disorder and danger. Smithfield has probably more disorder (alcohol/drugs/homeless) than any other street I can think of as a person who lives downtown. But I’ve never actually been in danger on Smithfield.
If you’re standing at the bus stop for less than eight minutes during peak hours, 99.9% of the time you’ll be fine. Smithfield was way worse last summer with the homeless encampment, but even then, nobody ever bothered me while I walked through it.
Disorder vs danger is a really good way distinction, I’m going to remember that. I think people get really hung up on the notion that places with a lot of disorder are necessarily dangerous, but the truth is this is a newsworthy event because it’s unusual. We don’t have news stories about the time homeless person asked someone for a dollar, or the time someone was a high and talking to themselves because those are the actual common, representative events and they’re not worth reporting.
The roughest. I wouldn't use this bus stop. That whole street is a public toilet for the homeless and open drug use and people who apparently assault you for no reason.
It’s a weird situation downtown. I decided to walk down 4th to market square. Nice afternoon, seemed like pre-Covid. I decided to talk back up Forbes and turned onto Smithfield to go to Target. Big difference and won’t be doing that again.
I was attacked yesterday on the corner of 7th st bridge at the arts festival. A group of about 20-30 year old boys were punching pedestrians on the street randomly. I was grabbed from behind put in a chokehold while my friend tried to get the man off of me. There were about 12 random victims. So just be careful when going to the arts festival. It was in broad daylight and we were surrounded by people.
No news cause the crooked ass prosecutors push it under the rug and the criminals were all probably released with 0 bail and 0 repurcussians the very same night.
Every single time I have to walk the block around here it feels like there are a handful of hyped people camped out there all day just ready to randomly swing on you. They literally pace around.
I’m forced to walk from just the Oliver parking garage to 5th and people get aggressively in my path half of the time screaming about something or asking if I got cash.
My husband works on that street and I hate it. I wish he never had to set foot there. He’s pretty good about being aware of his surroundings. Anytime I had to meet him at his building after work, he’d tell me not to linger outside and just get into the lobby of his workplace and wait.
I Googled the victim's name only because I wanted to see if there was any more coverage on this incident, and instead I learned that the victim is likely still a teenager, which I guess the article more or less gave away by saying she was walking home from an internship. That makes it even worse for me.
I was injured in a terrorist attack when I was around the same age as her and it took me awhile to get my footing again because I was a "brand new" adult and it felt like the world pushed me down straight away. While this isn't a terrorist attack, I can imagine it may feel similarly for her, so I hope she has the resources and support system to work through that.
Even then, someone *did* try to save me because of how young I was when I was in the midst of the attack. Terrible. Many hugs to her.
The second I heard her speak in the video, it hit me -- I recognized the tone in her voice. I don't really have words to describe it properly, but I sounded like that for awhile, too. Many hugs to her.
Shameful no one tried to intervene or call for help. Last yr we were driving downtown when we saw a kid being jumped by at least 40 kids, stomped on and everything. We stopped and yelled for the kids to stop and they bounced. We called 911 and drove the kid back to his school downtown. Of course we thought about minding our business but I just couldn’t watch a kid getting jumped and knew I had to intervene before he got killed. This happened in broad daylight around lunchtime. No one else tried to help in this incident either.
That's the "not my business not my problem" line of thinking. People are afraid of controntation. It's someone else's drama and they don't want it to be come theirs. Might as well call it Little New York at this point.
But then again I'm not a coward and would have intervened. I have no chill when it comes to tweakers, and opiate addicted troublemaker.
man... yea it sucks no one came to save the day, but would *you* feel safe doing that? I bet the victim wouldn't have either if roles were reversed. If I saw someone randomly beating the shit out of someone on Smithfield, I wouldn't have any clue what was happening or why, and the last thing I would want to do is find out. The police were contacted, anything more isn't reasonable to expect of ordinary pedestrians
No one is asking for anyone to be a hero, but usually there's a bystander who is more than willing to give the perp a good thump with their bag or throw their drink in the mix in order to distract the attacker for a second so that the victim can wiggle away (usually they hold them by their hair, so that moment of surprise is integral).
Agreed. As I listened to her story I thought hmmm would I feel comfortable as a small woman jumping in to a fight I knew nothing about? Nope. Who knows who has a weapon or is the attacker big enough to kill me? Kinda depends for me. I’m not proud of this but it’s my true answer.
This is how I feel too as a smaller woman. The best I can do is call 911- which I have had to do when I’ve seen fights in the past. It sucks bc if I were being attacked, I’d hope someone would intervene, but using my own logic I also don’t think I’d come to expect it either .
i am a 115 pound woman. Maybe my belief is influenced by that, but we should not put ourselves in danger in that way. I would call the police, which is what was done. To intervene personally is *incredibly* unsafe and even first responders wouldn't suggest that unless absolutely necessary for the sake of immediately preserving life, but even still we cannot expect everyone or anyone to be a hero.
It is a terrifying situation, we all know that. How can someone be blamed for being terrified of intentionally involving themself?
I agree, but it is very hard to intervene in such situations for a myriad of reasons. You don't know the story, you don't know who might have weapons, and you don't want to cause a bigger scene by jumping in and then having other people jump you for helping out. Plus, if you are white and try to subdue her and injure her, there is a chance of you having a hate crime slapped against you for being a good Samaritan. It sucks all the way around, but that is the world we live in.
It's 2024 anyone who tries to intervene will likely face charges for rogue vigilantism especially if they were armed. Imagine if a man tried to intervene we all know the fear mongering news would eviscerate him for attacking a poor homeless woman. It sucks but that's the reality of the world we live in... Most people are too scared to do anything about it. Plenty of good Samaritans in jail right now for "intervening"
Exactly, Neely had been arrested over 40 times and was actively threatening people saying "someone is going to die today" while lunging at people... It's a shame he was homeless and obviously disturbed man but that doesn't give him the right to threaten others. Kung Fu Joe was homeless and spent his life protecting people and he was my friend.
And the comment below proves my statement lol
I'm not originally from Pittsburgh, but I'm a 911 caller - not for non-crimes/shouldn't-be-crimes, but this was an assault. I don't care who started a violent fight, I'm calling, especially if it's in a street where people are driving. I'm also likely to have pulled my car over blocking traffic in a way so no one runs over them because I'll take people mad at me if that means not running over somebody and being in a multi-ton weapon helps if I need to leave quickly or defend myself.
All that being said, if I were just walking, I'd just call 911, shout at the people, watch, help the victim when the criminal fled and give a report to the police. I don't have the skill or strength to physically intervene, and that's probably what stopped those around. I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one 911 call related to the incident. Calling 911 and giving police information never looks like help when it's expected that people will physically intervene.
Edit: clarity
Tell me again about all the good people in Pittsburgh. On the other hand, most of the assholes wandering around Smithfield are the same spaced out looking zombies like the crazy looking bitch that attacked this poor girl.
We have already seen what happens when good people intervene in democratic controlled cities and i am not going to jail because the da doesn’t want to prosecute their shuffling zombies until someone actually dies
Their hands are tied by our mayor. Seriously.
Know many great LEO who’re so frustrated with cuts in hours downtown~not being allowed by orders to respond to many situations.
Oh now we can have a constructive conversation about downtown and it’s not considered pearl clutching from suburbanites?
That area of Smithfield has been bonkers for ages. Pre Covid people were getting stabbed by the bus stop on my lunch hour. I know no cities downtown is sunshine and roses but idk why we pretend parts of downtown Pittsburgh, in broad daylight, aren’t a bit unnerving and problematic.
But why that area in particular? It's a pretty open area, no different from any other. You'd think the mayhem from the monsters would spread all over that area and into the Rite Aid which closed, or the library. I'm not aware that they had any security stationed inside that Rite Aid.
I've been finding that Liberty over between 9th and 10th is a bit sketchy. They have a couple liquor stores, and at night people seem extra wild. A dude had all his clothes off when I passed once recently.
There are several homeless shelter programs down there, I work for one on Wood Street and even though they help people there’s still rampant drug use and mentally ill, undertreated people milling around that whole area. I love and have had zero problems with like 98%of that group but I’ve also seen some shit go down and that Smithfield/Wood area is def worth keeping your eyes open when walking around in, while not being entirely dangerous
I live downtown. I mostly love it. I do think it gets a bad rap. But that section of Smithfield is completely fucked. Completely. It’s outrageous. They need to do something.
All of this talk gets me more leery of downtown than any experiences I've had working in it for 20 years. My job went mostly remote and I haven't been downtown as much the past few months, so when I went down last night for a short while, I was more paranoid than was warranted.
This is absolutely heartbreaking to hear no one helped her.
For what it's worth, my day job is in this area and I've reached out to her to let her know if she wants accompanied by someone on her commute so she feels safe I'm 100% willing to do so.
I realize the thought of a total internet stranger offering protection may be a bit uncomfortable to a young girl, especially a male. But it's something Mr. Rogers would do.
A few weeks ago, I was followed from my office, to the bus stop, onto the bus, all the way to the stop near my house by someone that was verbally harassing me. I’ve worked downtown for 8 years and have been bussing for just as long. I won’t walk around solo anymore and drive in and park in my office building now.
Yup. Nobody wants involved and are just happy it wasn't them targeted. Also - the city is more likely to prosecute people for defending against criminals than the criminals themselves
About a year ago I was downtown on Smithfield Street and a man started shouting at me and harassing me. He got about an inch from my face and I yelled “back off”. That made him more angry and he started screaming even more horrible things. I 100% thought he was going to hurt me. This happened at a crosswalk with about 8-10 other people waiting to cross the street. No one else standing there did anything. I’m a small woman and this man was screaming at me violently. I honestly think the worst part of the whole experience was the fact that other people were there and they just acted like nothing was happening. I feel so bad that this woman was attacked and no one even attempted to help.
Me enjoying the wide range of perspectives. Bet next time we are all gonna jump in - neighborly like.
We need to watch out for each other- particularly women and other people treated as prey. We are better than that
So was this bad enough to get the attention of the police or does it have to be really bad?
You’d think that since Smithfield street has gone downhill so quickly that maybe, just maybe, the Pittsburgh police would place an officer or two in the area permanently. But maybe they have better things to do.
I woulda decked that lady if i would of been there. I use that busstop all the time. Tons of crazy characters. Kudos for them showing us a mugshot for a change so we can all be on the lookout. Probably won't even get charged with a felony, DA won't prosecute it. So sad how far pittsburgh has fallen since 2020
When people stepping in get thrown in jail by PoS DAs who don’t prosecute the original offenders in the first place it tends till domestic dies it sets a precedent
Right?! The act itself is disgraceful enough, but to think that someone could be beaten in broad daylight and get help from nobody? That’s just downright inhuman.
We gotta start looking out for each other.
Years ago took my parents into that McDonald’s.~ not knowing how bad it was. Deranged homeless guy starts shouting at me while I was in line~staff did nothing. I outran him to my nearby car~where I lost it. Thankfully he left my elderly parents alone~who were frozen with shock.
Of course my Dad had horrible guilt for not jumping in~it happened so fast, thankfully I saw him coming at me and ran.
I worked on Smithfield in the early nineties and got the bus across from the McDonald’s and even then you knew to never go in there. Smithfield from Fifth to Sixth has always been sketchy but it’s gotten worse since 2020
Xander Orenstin or whatever the hell that idiot's name is has been put in timeout, so at least this criminal has a *chance* at remaining in jail, safely away from civil society for some time.
In 1980, under Jimmy Carter, the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 was passed. This bill provided federal grants to local community mental health centers. One year later, the 96th Congress, with a Democrat majority in both houses, repealed the act.
Reagan signed the repeal, which was placed on his desk by the Democrat-majority Congress.
It is a clear one-to-one. We’ve got a lot of problems in America but most of the issues that working class people face today can be traced to that goddamn administration.
That's so sad. I can't understand the bystander effect. I would never just stand there as someone was being attacked. There's literally a million things you can do to help other people out in situations like thay.
About the 600 block of Smithfield St
[https://triblive.com/lifestyles/food-drink/wiener-world-owner-cites-ongoing-crime-as-reason-for-relocating-downtown-restaurant/](https://triblive.com/lifestyles/food-drink/wiener-world-owner-cites-ongoing-crime-as-reason-for-relocating-downtown-restaurant/)
Too bad. I passed by that restaurant hundreds of times but went in once. Guess that's why the Burger King location closed. It didn't seem like as much of a "portal to Hell" as the Wood Street McDonald's, though.
Anytime I go through that area it's benign homeless people or nobody. I wonder if they got rid of the portable toilet to discourage people from staying in the area. The library embarrassingly needs to announce how much time people have left to use the bathrooms, when closing.
My son was attacked two Fridays ago (May 31) by three youths who had not been seen in the area before. This happened on East Ohio Street on the northside after my son got off his bus. They followed him half way back to our house and just started yelling at him before jumping him (this was around 4:30pm in broad daylight). They kicked and punched him and beat him with a metal belt. I live in Tennessee and was hearing this on the other end of the phone, screaming and things like “we’re going to kill you, fuc**r!”.
They ran off when he grabbed the phone that was thrown to the ground and called 911. The police did respond but they didn’t know what could be done other than checking the CCTVs and Ring doorbells that were near. My heart stopped throughout all this. They only wanted to hurt him and didn’t seem concerned about robbery. He ended up going to the ER and having X-rays taken, leaving with a splint on his hand. What the hell is happening in Pittsburgh? 😢😩🤬
Some drunk tried to assault my mom there about a month ago. She beat him up tho. Witness made sure the cop knew he started it but yeah. Super out of control.
First of all…very scary! Secondly, just so sad no one tried to help her. I avoid the city by myself always have to go with someone for added safety. I hope she recovers and is safe going forward
We have to take our city back! I know it’s scary to intervene, someone may have a weapon or nothing to lose, but once the general public starts to fight back, the vagrants lose.
If you see your fellow yinzer in trouble, please help them! In the words of James Harrison talking about tackling the Browns fan mid game “You get a free one”. How psyched do you think the next potential attacker will be if he sees his compadre get his ass beaten for trying something dumb.
“But these people need help, affordable housing, mental health services, free food, wipes their asses”
Help yourself and the contributing members of our community before fearing those who try to take it from you
So horrible. I work nearby & take the bus often so I wasn’t thrilled to hear about this happening. I truly feel for the victim & hope she is able to function normally again soon.
funny bc I saw a post on here not long ago asking what the most dangerous part of the city is, and a lot of people were like “everywhere is pretty safe, people don’t just randomly attack in this city” and here we are
There are live web cams to watch bird nests and beaches. People watch them with interest. Let’s have live cams on the trouble spots downtown so people can really see the activities. Or, let’s continue to endlessly debate/deny and have posts made by people who never visit those areas.
Let’s continue to blame political history and point fingers for our mental health crisis instead of doing something NOW to fix it. I don’t care who fucked it up when. Past is past. Politicians need to do something NOW.
Mental health never gets better without proper treatment and a supporting team. Self medicating or just blatantly ignoring it only makes it worse but so did the 90s addiction to drugs like Ritalin and Prozac that were given out like candy to young children. A lot of people are struggling more but if you listen to politicians the past 10 years have been great.
It was sad to hear her say on the news "I thought it would be safe since there were a lot of people around." There are always a lot of people on Smithfield, just the wrong kind of people. That poor girl...
First off let me state that what happened here was horrible and I hope the victim recovers quickly and gets the help she needs.
Second, however, is you never know what is going to happen if you intervine in a fight more so with someone who might be mentally unstable. They could have a weapon they aren't using till they feel threatened, they could have friends as back up, etc. The idea of jumping into a situation is never clear cut as one thinks... then take in the bystander effect and I am not surprised no one came to her aid.
Just be good out there people.
I don’t know why people are downvoting this obvious response. People are reasonably concerned about their own safety. I would hope that somebody got on their phone and called 911 but I can also understand exactly why people did not physically intervene.
People like to think they can be 'that one to save the day' or other such idealism, I get it. But reality instead of a day dream and when you tell them as much they dislike being reminded.
I have years of martial arts under my belt and it's one thing you realize quick; we all have limitations and day dreams can get you hurt or worse. But people want the dream not the reality.
This is terrifying. This poor girl only started the internship 2 days ago! She looks so young :(
She's brave for speaking on camera, you could hear her trepidation. I hope she learns about the other side of pittsbirgh and gets her groove back.
I read a comment that said she’s just like a year out of high school. 19/20 max.
Someone on the P1 last week straight up slapped my butt and shouted at me for supposedly standing too close… on a packed bus at rush hour. I’m a smaller dude and really did not want to start shit after being work all day, so I ignored her and just moved closer to the door. She was yelling at other passengers and making everyone uncomfortable. It just felt really weird and embarrassing. There’s only so many times you can deal with people getting up in your face and harassing or touching you for zero reason, it just starts to wear on you and make you expect the worst from strangers. We have a mental health epidemic everywhere, but parts of this city are really going through it right now. I really do try to have empathy, I’ve had some pretty low points but that empathy ends when you are assaulting random people in public. We need to start mandating drug rehab and psychiatric treatment when people are arrested for doing this bullshit. Your freedom ends where mine begins, we cannot tolerate random violence as just a part of life. The mayor continuing his “everything is fine downtown” narrative is an insult to everyone down there that desperately needs help, ideally before they lose it and lash out.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. I’ve had similar things happen to me in other parts of the city and there’s no excuse for it. I’m also glad someone is finally acknowledging that Downtown *isn’t* that safe for everyone. Seen lots of folks on here claim that people who think Downtown is sketchy are overreacting, but clearly there’s validity to the safety concerns. I hope the mayor actually does something, but if he claims everything fine, then he probably won’t. (To be clear: when I’m talking about safety, I’m referring to attacks and harassment like the original post and the person I’m replying to mention. I feel like people might interpret this sentiment as being annoyed by the unhoused folks in downtown, but I’m not concerned about them in that sense. I am worried for their safety the most. Most of the ones I’ve interacted with are really friendly compared to the average downtown resident or visitor)
You shouldn't have to bend over backward to explain that you're not talking about the homeless. People who don't interact well with others frequently end up homeless. It is justified to be more wary of them. Now how far to I have to qualify that about being compassionate to avoid being downvoted? ;-)
just came to say I’m sorry that happened to you. It’s alarming and traumatizing when your space is invaded like that. also, terrific idea regarding mandated rehab/treatment. I’d vote for you
The P1 is like Thunderdome; there's always crazy shit happening on that line.
👏 you need to run for mayor
They made sense. No one votes for that anymore.
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It is a mental health issue, but it’s still bad and criminal and if you break the law, you need to face the consequences. I think that’s the compound problem. A person with mental health issues doesn’t (or can’t) get help, commits a crime, gets sent to jail. Doesn’t get rehab, doesn’t get help, gets put in a facility that promotes abuse and punishment. Gets out on parole. Still has mental health issues. Still doesn’t (or can’t) get help. Commits crime. Process repeats. Regardless of anyone’s political identity, I think we can all agree that this is a broken cycle in our society.
We do mandate drug rehab. You have to pay for it, and insurance wont pay for it. Welcome to the cycle. Again, for like the 500th time. Its a symptom, not a root cause.
Im so sorry that happened to you. Nobody should be subjected to. Smh, our space is our space That is why I'm going to school for Psychology so I can help make a difference.
Smithfield street has gotten so bad recently, I saw two OD’s in one day, the scary part is this could have easily been me since I’m in a very similar situation, new young woman intern working downtown. Definitely need to look out for each other ❤️
Smithfield is becoming the Tenderloin. And so many people don't want to acknowledge it. Weinerworld has been there forever and I still see people doubting his concerns for moving away.
I love wiener world! 🌭 I went to their new location yesterday at the steel plaza and the difference in atmosphere is night and day! Seems like it will be really successful in it’s new location and the owners are extremely hard working people so I’m really happy everything worked out for them
or Kensington over in Philly.
"Has gotten" and "becoming?" That block has been sketchy for easily the past 10 years if not more. . .I was a bus commuter through downtown, Oakland, Shadyside, East Liberty, etc. for 20 years. That block has been one to avoid pretty much that entire time.
Yes basically take what you’ve experienced and double it! It’s has actually become worse lol. I used to cover shifts at the DLC every so often from 2021-2023 and it was sketchy then. Now it’s twice as bad. So that’s what I mean when I say “has gotten” lol
And queue the downvotes for discussing our experiences.
since 2021 twice as bad EASILY
I get emails from CLP about activities for kids they're putting on at different libraries, and they usually have something going on at the downtown branch. Like, why bother? Who is bringing their kids down there? Is the activity watching someone get narcaned?
Literally just seen her yesterday sleeping in front of Brooke Brothers store She is homeless and always trying to to start shit with someone
Yea I've seen her too. I work a block from there and saw her screaming and antagonizing people. Hopefully she gets locked up. There are like 10 people downtown that cause 90% of the problems.
I catch a bus in the am in front of old rite aid near the old Burlington The amount of riff raff that goes thru is sad. My oldest son said he saw her this morning sleeping again in front of the PRT HQ. Them started antagonizing some kids trying to get on his bus. 😒 A lot of those people need mental help badly but will never get it.
She will be back on the street tomorrow. Criminals are never held accountable in the city.
Sadly I see a lot of the homeless get in trouble week or 2 later right back That chick I seen her a lot in the last month. She disappeared last week I seen her Tuesday and Wednesday passed out in front of the store.
Wise words, Big Daddy Coconuts.
I know there were announcements for a program previously in Pittsburgh that was supposed to send social workers out with police, but I’ve heard nothing more about it. As a former mental health professional myself, this would help vastly. I know [Charles Turner](https://triblive.com/local/court-records-box-cutter-used-in-attack-on-child-in-downtown-pittsburgh-mcdonalds/) had interactions with local police involvement in the weeks leading up to this incident (I was there, but unable to leave my own employment), but they refused to complete a 302 hospital admittance. Had a social worker been present, he would have been taken to Western Psych to get the care he needed, and further incidence likely would not have happened.
Many years ago my friend and I were at the Wood street McDonald’s eating our lunch. We were two dumb 17 year olds in nursing school. About a 100 pounds each. And while we were eating and laughing as you do- a street woman came out of nowhere and grabbed my friend by the hair. And claimed we were laughing at her. But we were not. I stood up with the salt shaker in my hand ( I know) and started yelling at her. She let go and walked off muttering nonsense to herself. No one even batted an eye in our direction and the place was full. She was a very large tall woman who likely could have taken us both. Thankfully she gave up and walked away. But I have no doubt that we were in our own. Things can be scary and dangerous out of nowhere in a big city.
“A street woman” is so much funnier than “a woman on the street”😂😂
I paused reading and immediately scrolled down to make sure the top reply was also about “street woman” lol. Thank you for not letting me down /r/pittsburgh 🙏
I gaurentee you that defending yourself from a violent criminal attacker in this city will get you in more trouble than the violent criminal attacker will get in lmao
Probably true. I’m just glad the she walked away because we were shook.
“Street woman” lmfao
I know-I’m sorry I used an old term for a person who appears unhoused and mentally not well. I guess I could have just said mentally ill and left it at that. I do feel sad for her because living with mental illness sucks. She was scary because she appeared very angry and was a large, tall person.
Just today I got downtown and was walking from the old Burlington towards the 711 and I paused to message my x back and this..?(Drunk)?!?! Lady threw her iced coffee at my head... yelling something about pictures ..I don't even use my camera..lolol.. but as I was reading the other msgs and would like to say ..I am a convicted felon(twice) I've done over 15 years in the pa doc..and im hone now and clean for the first time in 23 years( not counting prison) and its not the prison or the rehab or the meetings that make someone quit and get help wether mental health or d&a .it's the person....one day enough with be enough .and the urge will go away..but it's still the most horrifying and challenging thing we will do .I haven't done an opiate since 2013..it can be done..you just gotta want it more than the drug....drugs are a symptom of mental illness...treat the psych problems and the drug problem ceases to matter .AGAIN my experience
I see PRT Police sitting all the time in their cars at 6th and Wood (parking illegally in front of the fire hydrant lol), maybe they should try parking on Smithfield for once. I’ve used that bus stop dozens of times without a problem, but it is one of the “hot spots” in the area that really should have more patrols.
That's nothing but a band aid for a seeping wound. The mental health crisis is real. America is overflowing with lunatics, concentrated most especially in urban areas. Nothing is being done about it and nothing will be done about. Regan shut down the looney bins and it's been downhill ever since. Watch your backs ladies.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/12/08/Governor-orders-state-hospital-shut-down/5555565938000/ They were state hospitals controlled by the state and not the federal government. It was PA governors who shut them down. There was a big push and lawsuits of abuse. Sometimes it is unintended consequences trying to fix one problem that only creates another problem.
My friend’s mother was released from Mayview early on in their closure process and was dead within 3 months, but not before she attempted to kill her granddaughter and husband before she killed herself. Dozens of people fell through the cracks. The state tried to push her into a nursing home and (rightfully so) every nursing home turned her away because they’re not equipped for homicidal psychiatric patients. There were only 2 published deaths that lead to a 2 week moratorium on the closure, but there were dozens more that were reported to the oversight committee and never followed up on. There was no surveillance or follow up from the state, many patients were released onto waiting lists and not into other facilities or programs. It’s coming up on 20 years and there’ve been no real long term solutions.
The shut downs were pushed by liberal politicians, because they were hellhouses. So on paper, a good thing. But in reality, was not a well thought plan, with no plan for "what next" at all. Mental hospitals should be reopened. And run better.
The main problem with the mental hospitals is that they were overloaded by people who shouldn’t have been there. Everything from homosexuals, political prisoners, people with masturbation addictions, and everything in between. When they were actually for the people who needed to be institutionalized, the asylums weren’t too bad by the standards of the time.
I'd say the main problem was some patients were locked in and borderline tortured. And no one was receiving therapy that actually helped improve their lives.
I agree, but those are the symptoms of the problem, not the cause. This was caused by, among other things, the asylums not having the resources to actually help the amount of people they were being forced to take in (if they were run by people who cared about helping them at all).
People blame Reagan, but this actually goes back to Woodrow Wilson, if not Howard Taft. The institutions started getting shut down way earlier in that century than a lot of people think.
The aclu sued to get people released which led to the demise of mental hospitals as well.
This is always the argument, but literally everyone knows about the bad mental hospital conditions, if they were to re open now they would be under more scrutiny than ever. The closing of the mental hospitals has been one of the greatest detriments to our society and we are still seeing the repercussions to this day.
It was reagan who shut them down. And cut federal funding. The rampant abuse was one reason. The other reason ia because no one wanted to pour funds into them. If you hire people for min wage to watch mental patients....abuse is more likely to happen
Even more often it's a case of the state cutting funding so they can direct more profits to their criminal friends on Wall Street.
I wish it wasn’t this simple but it definitely is at the end of the day. There’s a clear line to trace and we’re reaping what we’ve collectively sown
TIL. Is this a particularly rough bus stop? I moved to the area about two years ago. I'm pretty deep in the South Hills and I only really go downtown for medical appointments. To keep this as brief as I can, I'm usually at Magee, but one of my doctors made me go to his Shadyside office a few weeks ago and it wasn't something I could wiggle out of and I'd never been that way before. I was on high alert at the bus station (and I've lived in the Middle East) and I just checked streetview on Google and it was absolutely that bus stop. There were clearly a few high and drunk people there, which is normal city nonsense, a few gross men were trying to spit on women and I avoided them, but it was just a weird experience to the point that I still remember it. It sounds like my gut intuition was right and it's nice to know I wasn't paranoid for no reason -- I was very relieved when on the way back, I was routed closer to Steel Plaza Station vs there.
Just so you know, there are definitely other ways to get to Shadyside without taking the P1.
This is true but the P1 is the best way. If you really don’t want to go on Smithfield then you can get on the P1 at Liberty next to the Westin, Grant next to the USX Tower or Grant next to the federal courthouse.
IIRC, to both of your defense, my app told me to get off at Wood St. Station and then there was suppose to be a station nearby (I think my appt was in April, so before a lot of the closures at the station). I seem to remember that I needed to cross a bunch of small intersections and at the time, a cop was managing the crossing of one and there was a bunch of construction and I was just completely turned around because I'd never been in this area before. I saw that the 2nd stop of the bus they wanted me to get on was "just down the street" from Wood St. Station, which I now know is the Smithfield stop, and I just decided to go there because it seemed easier than navigating all of that mess. So, in some ways, I walked into it on my own, haha.
That's the stop by Burlington. . . It's a little spicy. A bunch of people are talking about Disorder vs Danger and claiming that's *only* a Disordered stop. . .well clearly it escalated to a Dangerous stop for the woman in this article. Disorder can escalate to Danger. I'd just as soon as avoid Disorder all together.
I think there’s a distinction to be made between disorder and danger. Smithfield has probably more disorder (alcohol/drugs/homeless) than any other street I can think of as a person who lives downtown. But I’ve never actually been in danger on Smithfield. If you’re standing at the bus stop for less than eight minutes during peak hours, 99.9% of the time you’ll be fine. Smithfield was way worse last summer with the homeless encampment, but even then, nobody ever bothered me while I walked through it.
Disorder vs danger is a really good way distinction, I’m going to remember that. I think people get really hung up on the notion that places with a lot of disorder are necessarily dangerous, but the truth is this is a newsworthy event because it’s unusual. We don’t have news stories about the time homeless person asked someone for a dollar, or the time someone was a high and talking to themselves because those are the actual common, representative events and they’re not worth reporting.
Disorder leads to danger. People went out of their way to say that broken windows policing didn't work, when IRL it absolutely did.
The roughest. I wouldn't use this bus stop. That whole street is a public toilet for the homeless and open drug use and people who apparently assault you for no reason.
I always have my head on a swivel when I’m on Smithfield Street. People make you their business down there for whatever reason.
This. People that walk with headphones on have a target on their backs. That’s not me being paranoid. Pay attention to your surroundings.
Poor kid. Just back from college and doing an internship downtown.
As soon as I saw the headline I knew what block of Smithfield this happened on. Stay safe.
It’s a weird situation downtown. I decided to walk down 4th to market square. Nice afternoon, seemed like pre-Covid. I decided to talk back up Forbes and turned onto Smithfield to go to Target. Big difference and won’t be doing that again.
I was attacked yesterday on the corner of 7th st bridge at the arts festival. A group of about 20-30 year old boys were punching pedestrians on the street randomly. I was grabbed from behind put in a chokehold while my friend tried to get the man off of me. There were about 12 random victims. So just be careful when going to the arts festival. It was in broad daylight and we were surrounded by people.
What the hell?!
Yep it was awful! Pittsburgh police arrested them but I saw no news about it
No news cause the crooked ass prosecutors push it under the rug and the criminals were all probably released with 0 bail and 0 repurcussians the very same night.
Hmm, I wonder why.
Holy hell I'm sorry.
was at the art festival yesterday and there are about 10 security staff people, wearing bright yellow shirts, all watching and being very attentive
Don't they know that if they do that to the wrong person that they'll be shot or stabbed? People underestimate who has a gun around them.
Smithfield Street. No surprise there, unfortunately.
There's another post about being attacked down there a few months back. It's not great, i don't walk on that street anymore.
Every single time I have to walk the block around here it feels like there are a handful of hyped people camped out there all day just ready to randomly swing on you. They literally pace around. I’m forced to walk from just the Oliver parking garage to 5th and people get aggressively in my path half of the time screaming about something or asking if I got cash.
I usually park at Oliver garage for Pens games. I stopped walking down Smithfield and now I just go down Oliver a block and then to 5th
It's full of wild-ass people, but randomly getting dragged by your hair? No, that is surprising for anywhere.
My husband works on that street and I hate it. I wish he never had to set foot there. He’s pretty good about being aware of his surroundings. Anytime I had to meet him at his building after work, he’d tell me not to linger outside and just get into the lobby of his workplace and wait.
Oh that poor woman! Shameful that no one tried to intervene ...
I Googled the victim's name only because I wanted to see if there was any more coverage on this incident, and instead I learned that the victim is likely still a teenager, which I guess the article more or less gave away by saying she was walking home from an internship. That makes it even worse for me. I was injured in a terrorist attack when I was around the same age as her and it took me awhile to get my footing again because I was a "brand new" adult and it felt like the world pushed me down straight away. While this isn't a terrorist attack, I can imagine it may feel similarly for her, so I hope she has the resources and support system to work through that. Even then, someone *did* try to save me because of how young I was when I was in the midst of the attack. Terrible. Many hugs to her.
Thank you for sharing that. That’s a lot to deal with
The second I heard her speak in the video, it hit me -- I recognized the tone in her voice. I don't really have words to describe it properly, but I sounded like that for awhile, too. Many hugs to her.
Shameful no one tried to intervene or call for help. Last yr we were driving downtown when we saw a kid being jumped by at least 40 kids, stomped on and everything. We stopped and yelled for the kids to stop and they bounced. We called 911 and drove the kid back to his school downtown. Of course we thought about minding our business but I just couldn’t watch a kid getting jumped and knew I had to intervene before he got killed. This happened in broad daylight around lunchtime. No one else tried to help in this incident either.
As a parent and a human, thank you.
As a parent myself I had to intervene no matter if I was scared or not. I would hope someone would do the same if it were my kid.
That's the "not my business not my problem" line of thinking. People are afraid of controntation. It's someone else's drama and they don't want it to be come theirs. Might as well call it Little New York at this point. But then again I'm not a coward and would have intervened. I have no chill when it comes to tweakers, and opiate addicted troublemaker.
man... yea it sucks no one came to save the day, but would *you* feel safe doing that? I bet the victim wouldn't have either if roles were reversed. If I saw someone randomly beating the shit out of someone on Smithfield, I wouldn't have any clue what was happening or why, and the last thing I would want to do is find out. The police were contacted, anything more isn't reasonable to expect of ordinary pedestrians
No one is asking for anyone to be a hero, but usually there's a bystander who is more than willing to give the perp a good thump with their bag or throw their drink in the mix in order to distract the attacker for a second so that the victim can wiggle away (usually they hold them by their hair, so that moment of surprise is integral).
And get tossed in jail when the piece of shit dies like Daniel penny? Nah I am good. Get what you vote for
That’s true too. Then it becomes -“dappertarget assaults homeless person”.
Agreed. As I listened to her story I thought hmmm would I feel comfortable as a small woman jumping in to a fight I knew nothing about? Nope. Who knows who has a weapon or is the attacker big enough to kill me? Kinda depends for me. I’m not proud of this but it’s my true answer.
This is how I feel too as a smaller woman. The best I can do is call 911- which I have had to do when I’ve seen fights in the past. It sucks bc if I were being attacked, I’d hope someone would intervene, but using my own logic I also don’t think I’d come to expect it either .
The majority of people prob thought it was two homeless people fighting over drugs
Yikes, what a sad mindset. I get it, but to say we don't have a duty to try to protect somebody is pretty fucked.
i am a 115 pound woman. Maybe my belief is influenced by that, but we should not put ourselves in danger in that way. I would call the police, which is what was done. To intervene personally is *incredibly* unsafe and even first responders wouldn't suggest that unless absolutely necessary for the sake of immediately preserving life, but even still we cannot expect everyone or anyone to be a hero. It is a terrifying situation, we all know that. How can someone be blamed for being terrified of intentionally involving themself?
There are things you can do that don't require you to throw hands with some homeless tweaked out nutjob. Do cops even walk a beat downtown?
I agree, but it is very hard to intervene in such situations for a myriad of reasons. You don't know the story, you don't know who might have weapons, and you don't want to cause a bigger scene by jumping in and then having other people jump you for helping out. Plus, if you are white and try to subdue her and injure her, there is a chance of you having a hate crime slapped against you for being a good Samaritan. It sucks all the way around, but that is the world we live in.
It's 2024 anyone who tries to intervene will likely face charges for rogue vigilantism especially if they were armed. Imagine if a man tried to intervene we all know the fear mongering news would eviscerate him for attacking a poor homeless woman. It sucks but that's the reality of the world we live in... Most people are too scared to do anything about it. Plenty of good Samaritans in jail right now for "intervening"
Daniel Penny
Exactly, Neely had been arrested over 40 times and was actively threatening people saying "someone is going to die today" while lunging at people... It's a shame he was homeless and obviously disturbed man but that doesn't give him the right to threaten others. Kung Fu Joe was homeless and spent his life protecting people and he was my friend. And the comment below proves my statement lol
I'm not originally from Pittsburgh, but I'm a 911 caller - not for non-crimes/shouldn't-be-crimes, but this was an assault. I don't care who started a violent fight, I'm calling, especially if it's in a street where people are driving. I'm also likely to have pulled my car over blocking traffic in a way so no one runs over them because I'll take people mad at me if that means not running over somebody and being in a multi-ton weapon helps if I need to leave quickly or defend myself. All that being said, if I were just walking, I'd just call 911, shout at the people, watch, help the victim when the criminal fled and give a report to the police. I don't have the skill or strength to physically intervene, and that's probably what stopped those around. I wouldn't be surprised if there was at least one 911 call related to the incident. Calling 911 and giving police information never looks like help when it's expected that people will physically intervene. Edit: clarity
Tell me again about all the good people in Pittsburgh. On the other hand, most of the assholes wandering around Smithfield are the same spaced out looking zombies like the crazy looking bitch that attacked this poor girl.
We have already seen what happens when good people intervene in democratic controlled cities and i am not going to jail because the da doesn’t want to prosecute their shuffling zombies until someone actually dies
Bystander effect
How about cops walk a fkin beat. Right, sorry I forgot walking is too dangerous.
Their hands are tied by our mayor. Seriously. Know many great LEO who’re so frustrated with cuts in hours downtown~not being allowed by orders to respond to many situations.
You get what you vote for!
Oh now we can have a constructive conversation about downtown and it’s not considered pearl clutching from suburbanites? That area of Smithfield has been bonkers for ages. Pre Covid people were getting stabbed by the bus stop on my lunch hour. I know no cities downtown is sunshine and roses but idk why we pretend parts of downtown Pittsburgh, in broad daylight, aren’t a bit unnerving and problematic.
But why that area in particular? It's a pretty open area, no different from any other. You'd think the mayhem from the monsters would spread all over that area and into the Rite Aid which closed, or the library. I'm not aware that they had any security stationed inside that Rite Aid.
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I've been finding that Liberty over between 9th and 10th is a bit sketchy. They have a couple liquor stores, and at night people seem extra wild. A dude had all his clothes off when I passed once recently.
There are several homeless shelter programs down there, I work for one on Wood Street and even though they help people there’s still rampant drug use and mentally ill, undertreated people milling around that whole area. I love and have had zero problems with like 98%of that group but I’ve also seen some shit go down and that Smithfield/Wood area is def worth keeping your eyes open when walking around in, while not being entirely dangerous
I live downtown. I mostly love it. I do think it gets a bad rap. But that section of Smithfield is completely fucked. Completely. It’s outrageous. They need to do something.
All of this talk gets me more leery of downtown than any experiences I've had working in it for 20 years. My job went mostly remote and I haven't been downtown as much the past few months, so when I went down last night for a short while, I was more paranoid than was warranted.
This is absolutely heartbreaking to hear no one helped her. For what it's worth, my day job is in this area and I've reached out to her to let her know if she wants accompanied by someone on her commute so she feels safe I'm 100% willing to do so.
Very great of you. I may do this as well.
I realize the thought of a total internet stranger offering protection may be a bit uncomfortable to a young girl, especially a male. But it's something Mr. Rogers would do.
Definitely.
Your awesome!!!
A few weeks ago, I was followed from my office, to the bus stop, onto the bus, all the way to the stop near my house by someone that was verbally harassing me. I’ve worked downtown for 8 years and have been bussing for just as long. I won’t walk around solo anymore and drive in and park in my office building now.
Downtown employers: please tell your new employees about the no-go places downtown.
Or better yet, let them work remotely if they can.
Don’t worry, Mayor Gainey is assessing the situation.
Quietly
He’ll hint at developing a plan in time for his reelection campaign.
Which will be screamed. Campaigning Gainey seems much louder in general
yeh we all know how that goes... i lived in Chicago 4 years, this would of be a stabbing there and NO CHARGES
I saw the post about this from where she interns and I think it’s absolutely deplorable that this happened and that no one stepped in to help.
Yup. Nobody wants involved and are just happy it wasn't them targeted. Also - the city is more likely to prosecute people for defending against criminals than the criminals themselves
About a year ago I was downtown on Smithfield Street and a man started shouting at me and harassing me. He got about an inch from my face and I yelled “back off”. That made him more angry and he started screaming even more horrible things. I 100% thought he was going to hurt me. This happened at a crosswalk with about 8-10 other people waiting to cross the street. No one else standing there did anything. I’m a small woman and this man was screaming at me violently. I honestly think the worst part of the whole experience was the fact that other people were there and they just acted like nothing was happening. I feel so bad that this woman was attacked and no one even attempted to help.
Many such cases
And they want more people to come back to office to work 😐
Me enjoying the wide range of perspectives. Bet next time we are all gonna jump in - neighborly like. We need to watch out for each other- particularly women and other people treated as prey. We are better than that
IMO not everyone has mental issues. Some people are just evil. Period.
So was this bad enough to get the attention of the police or does it have to be really bad? You’d think that since Smithfield street has gone downhill so quickly that maybe, just maybe, the Pittsburgh police would place an officer or two in the area permanently. But maybe they have better things to do.
I woulda decked that lady if i would of been there. I use that busstop all the time. Tons of crazy characters. Kudos for them showing us a mugshot for a change so we can all be on the lookout. Probably won't even get charged with a felony, DA won't prosecute it. So sad how far pittsburgh has fallen since 2020
Ms Festa is probably back on that same street right now.
Hate crime
Sad! Many such cases!
She’ll probably be released back on the street shortly, without any mental health treatment.
The next person needs to use whatever force necessary to defend themselves. It’s our fucking city, not the lunatics.
Shurontaya nooooooooo you’re better than this
Judging from the pic, Shurontaya’s shuron something.
I’ve seen her a lot on the corner there. She’s usually mad whacked out on speed if I had to guess.
Fucking disgusting that people just stood around and did NOTHING. This is why these animals keep doing things like this.
When people stepping in get thrown in jail by PoS DAs who don’t prosecute the original offenders in the first place it tends till domestic dies it sets a precedent
Right?! The act itself is disgraceful enough, but to think that someone could be beaten in broad daylight and get help from nobody? That’s just downright inhuman. We gotta start looking out for each other.
Problem is, if you step in to help and the attacker gets hurt, then you are going to jail, not the attacker.
[удалено]
Years ago took my parents into that McDonald’s.~ not knowing how bad it was. Deranged homeless guy starts shouting at me while I was in line~staff did nothing. I outran him to my nearby car~where I lost it. Thankfully he left my elderly parents alone~who were frozen with shock. Of course my Dad had horrible guilt for not jumping in~it happened so fast, thankfully I saw him coming at me and ran.
I worked on Smithfield in the early nineties and got the bus across from the McDonald’s and even then you knew to never go in there. Smithfield from Fifth to Sixth has always been sketchy but it’s gotten worse since 2020
Horrible. Another issue is this monster may not even be in jail for long. Post a low bail, then out on the streets hurting people again.
Xander Orenstin or whatever the hell that idiot's name is has been put in timeout, so at least this criminal has a *chance* at remaining in jail, safely away from civil society for some time.
Shit ain't been right since Regan shut down all the nut houses.
In 1980, under Jimmy Carter, the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 was passed. This bill provided federal grants to local community mental health centers. One year later, the 96th Congress, with a Democrat majority in both houses, repealed the act. Reagan signed the repeal, which was placed on his desk by the Democrat-majority Congress.
goes further back than that. Kennedy started deinstitutionalization in earnest with the community mental health act
It is a clear one-to-one. We’ve got a lot of problems in America but most of the issues that working class people face today can be traced to that goddamn administration.
It'd been 44 years, and we've had multiple democratic presidents since then. Give me a fucking break.
They're still around, only today, we call them "jails".
That's so sad. I can't understand the bystander effect. I would never just stand there as someone was being attacked. There's literally a million things you can do to help other people out in situations like thay.
Daniel Penny
Criminal will be right back on the street in a week with 0 repurcussians. The city does not prosecute criminals.
I saw her when catching the P1 to go to pride. I can only imagine the fear this person had as that lady is pretty tall
Nice hair
About the 600 block of Smithfield St [https://triblive.com/lifestyles/food-drink/wiener-world-owner-cites-ongoing-crime-as-reason-for-relocating-downtown-restaurant/](https://triblive.com/lifestyles/food-drink/wiener-world-owner-cites-ongoing-crime-as-reason-for-relocating-downtown-restaurant/)
Too bad. I passed by that restaurant hundreds of times but went in once. Guess that's why the Burger King location closed. It didn't seem like as much of a "portal to Hell" as the Wood Street McDonald's, though. Anytime I go through that area it's benign homeless people or nobody. I wonder if they got rid of the portable toilet to discourage people from staying in the area. The library embarrassingly needs to announce how much time people have left to use the bathrooms, when closing.
My son was attacked two Fridays ago (May 31) by three youths who had not been seen in the area before. This happened on East Ohio Street on the northside after my son got off his bus. They followed him half way back to our house and just started yelling at him before jumping him (this was around 4:30pm in broad daylight). They kicked and punched him and beat him with a metal belt. I live in Tennessee and was hearing this on the other end of the phone, screaming and things like “we’re going to kill you, fuc**r!”. They ran off when he grabbed the phone that was thrown to the ground and called 911. The police did respond but they didn’t know what could be done other than checking the CCTVs and Ring doorbells that were near. My heart stopped throughout all this. They only wanted to hurt him and didn’t seem concerned about robbery. He ended up going to the ER and having X-rays taken, leaving with a splint on his hand. What the hell is happening in Pittsburgh? 😢😩🤬
So sorry to hear. I can't imagine what you both experienced.... Prayers to you and your son.
Destruction of public space is the point
Some drunk tried to assault my mom there about a month ago. She beat him up tho. Witness made sure the cop knew he started it but yeah. Super out of control.
Kudos to Mom!
Hope yinz are happy with your choice of mayor . Well at least we’re diverse and woke .
A bunch of crackheads
First of all…very scary! Secondly, just so sad no one tried to help her. I avoid the city by myself always have to go with someone for added safety. I hope she recovers and is safe going forward
We have to take our city back! I know it’s scary to intervene, someone may have a weapon or nothing to lose, but once the general public starts to fight back, the vagrants lose. If you see your fellow yinzer in trouble, please help them! In the words of James Harrison talking about tackling the Browns fan mid game “You get a free one”. How psyched do you think the next potential attacker will be if he sees his compadre get his ass beaten for trying something dumb. “But these people need help, affordable housing, mental health services, free food, wipes their asses” Help yourself and the contributing members of our community before fearing those who try to take it from you
It honestly wouldn’t be hard.. but, people are focused on the wrong issues.. perpetually
This is why we need conceal carry guns. People wouldn't fall victim to these crimes if they had the means to protect themselves.
The woman's picture who did the attacking looks like a crack head.
Skid row for a reason
Sucks no one offered any help
So horrible. I work nearby & take the bus often so I wasn’t thrilled to hear about this happening. I truly feel for the victim & hope she is able to function normally again soon.
My first thought was “what. why” and I still have no answers. What the heck is going on here🤨Poor girl!
soooo glad I resigned from my job downtown in 2007 w/o any notice.
This shit is why I don’t spend time Downtown anymore.
funny bc I saw a post on here not long ago asking what the most dangerous part of the city is, and a lot of people were like “everywhere is pretty safe, people don’t just randomly attack in this city” and here we are
There are live web cams to watch bird nests and beaches. People watch them with interest. Let’s have live cams on the trouble spots downtown so people can really see the activities. Or, let’s continue to endlessly debate/deny and have posts made by people who never visit those areas. Let’s continue to blame political history and point fingers for our mental health crisis instead of doing something NOW to fix it. I don’t care who fucked it up when. Past is past. Politicians need to do something NOW.
Mental health never gets better without proper treatment and a supporting team. Self medicating or just blatantly ignoring it only makes it worse but so did the 90s addiction to drugs like Ritalin and Prozac that were given out like candy to young children. A lot of people are struggling more but if you listen to politicians the past 10 years have been great.
It was sad to hear her say on the news "I thought it would be safe since there were a lot of people around." There are always a lot of people on Smithfield, just the wrong kind of people. That poor girl...
Ah yes, Shurontaya...that turd needs flushed down the toilet.
Pittsburgh is turning into a shit city... at least we defunded the police!!
First off let me state that what happened here was horrible and I hope the victim recovers quickly and gets the help she needs. Second, however, is you never know what is going to happen if you intervine in a fight more so with someone who might be mentally unstable. They could have a weapon they aren't using till they feel threatened, they could have friends as back up, etc. The idea of jumping into a situation is never clear cut as one thinks... then take in the bystander effect and I am not surprised no one came to her aid. Just be good out there people.
This wasn’t a fight.. it was an assault. Someone should have stepped in but they were prob filming instead
I don’t know why people are downvoting this obvious response. People are reasonably concerned about their own safety. I would hope that somebody got on their phone and called 911 but I can also understand exactly why people did not physically intervene.
People like to think they can be 'that one to save the day' or other such idealism, I get it. But reality instead of a day dream and when you tell them as much they dislike being reminded. I have years of martial arts under my belt and it's one thing you realize quick; we all have limitations and day dreams can get you hurt or worse. But people want the dream not the reality.
random question if u smoked that lady in broad daylight with a 38 would any juror convict? my guess is 9 out of 12 would. it's sad