Police: Man with guns arrested near youth football game
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - One person was arrested and charged over the weekend after two loaded handguns were found in a backpack at a youth football game.
It happened at Kennard Field in the Hill District on Sunday. According to paperwork, two officers who were providing security at the game "believed someone had a gun" outside the field gate by the concession stand. That's when an officer saw a man throw a backpack over the fence onto the field.
"Our officer observed someone throw a bag, some type of backpack, throw bag, over the fence. They were inside the fence, and they threw this bag outside of the fence," Matt Lackner said, Zone 2 commander for Pittsburgh Police. "This was immediately suspicious to our officer. He went straight to where the bag was thrown and found two firearms inside of the bag. There were three persons that were determined to be associated with his bag. They were all detained."
Police said inside the backpack was a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun with a bullet in the chamber and 15 rounds in the magazine. They also found a 10mm Glock with a bullet in the chamber and 10 rounds in the magazine.
According to paperwork, one of the men, Brian Horton, admitted the 9mm handgun was his. Police later learned that gun was stolen. The 23-year-old was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property.
Police said the other gun was found to have no record. It was sent to a mobile crime lab. The other two men involved were released.
This is not the first incident to happen near a youth football game. Nearly a month ago, shots were fired near a game happening in Homewood.
One local parent told KDKA Tuesday that the violence must stop and especially has no part at all when it comes to youth sporting events.
"That's really bad because there's children out there playing football," said Coty Youngblood, a grandparent who attends some of the league games. "So much stuff be going on, but it seems like no one cares. That shouldn't be going on with the little kids or the youth at all. No one says anything. Nobody really does anything, and the stuff goes on and on and on. Those young guys are killing each other."
Pittsburgh police were requested by the league to provide security at the games throughout the rest of the season.
Lackner told KDKA they plan to continue to do so.
"This is something we would do for any sports league throughout the city, to interact with the community and provide a level of safety," Lackner said.
