Investigation Continues After Stray Bullet Hits Woman Inside Kennywood
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Police are continuing to look for who fired the gun that wounded a woman at Kennywood on the Fourth of July.
Police believe it was a freak accident and that the bullet was fired from outside the park.
Kennywood Park officials say that a day after the shooting it was business as usual. They expect the same for this week and beyond as well. Officials called what happened Saturday night an unfortunate accident.
It was right after 10 p.m. and the amusement park's fireworks show had just wrapped
A 26-year-old park guest was mere feet from the tunnel exit of the park, when the bullet seemingly fell out of the sky. She was struck in the chest, near her shoulder.
Police said the shot was fired from outside of Kennywood, possibly by someone aiming a gun in the sky and shooting it off in a celebratory fashion.
"How do you prevent somebody from in the community, in a celebratory mood? Who knows what was affected and they did something that happened and unfortunately, it happened and one of our guests was struck by the bullet. There was nothing we could do," Kennywood's Christopher Salerno said.
The victim was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where she was last listed in stable condition.
Salerno said, "We are adequately staffed, all the response we had worked very, very well."
Salerno continues to believe that the shooting was an accident, blaming it on "irresponsible and reckless behavior that could have happened at a family picnic."
On Monday, the park filled with guests who knew about the shooting, but seemed unfazed.
James Bowyer and several of his grandchildren made the 140-mile trip from Buckhannon, West Virginia, to West Mifflin to spend Monday at Kennywood Park.
Bowyer said he was aware of the weekend shooting at Kennywood, but he wasn't going to let that keep his and his family away.
"Pittsburgh's a big city, things happen," Bowyer said. "Chances are one in a hundred million that [the shooting] would affect [us]."
Other Kennywood visitors shook the shooting off today.
"The shooting will not keep [me and my family] away, we come here every week," Kathy Rotz, of West Mifflin, said.
Bryan Flemming of Pittsburgh said, "I think the shooting was an isolated incident."
Kennywood officials have handed over surveillance footage from inside and outside of the park to Allegheny County Police for review.
Meanwhile, anyone with information is asked to call Allegheny County Police.
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