Published on March 22, 2026
At approximately 5:30 p.m., Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Downtown Public Safety Center officers already in the area responded to Forbes Avenue and Market Square following reports of a large gathering of juveniles.
A physical altercation broke out amongst approximately 40 individuals outside. During the incident, some juveniles began deploying pepper spray. Officers issued verbal commands to disperse. When those orders were ignored, officers deployed OC spray to disperse the crowds and were able to quickly restore order.
Three juveniles were taken into custody in connection with the incident.
Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS set up a decontamination area and treated approximately 20 individuals at the scene for exposure to pepper spray. There were no transports or injuries to officers reported.