Police use pepper spray to break up large fight on Pittsburgh's South Side
A large fight broke out on Pittsburgh's South Side early Monday morning, prompting police officers to use pepper spray to help control the situation.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Police says the fight started around 1:30 a.m. along East Carson Street when an Allegheny County Housing Authority officer was called to help remove a man from a bar.
The man, identified as Diorr Grier-Phillips, of Penn Hills was tased by an officer, handcuffed, and arrested before being taken to the Allegheny County Jail on assault, disorderly conduct, and public drunkenness charges, police said.
Police say that when the bar closed and the Grier-Phillips was outside, a number of people started coming out of the bar and a large fight broke out and a security guard was punched in the face.
While trying to get control of the situation, pepper spray was used by officers, police said.
Police say that medics were called to help decontaminate the areas where pepper spray was used. No injuries were reported.
Second incident on the South Side in one week
Last week, East Carson Street became filled with an unruly crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 people. Pittsburgh Police needed to call in officers from Monroeville, Shaler and Etna to form a line to clear the street.
No one was injured and no property was damaged, but before that, the South Side Entertainment Patrol made several arrests. Some were gun-related, others had to do with fights.
Citations were given for public intoxication, underage drinking, and public urination.
In the wake of the incident last week, the police union says the staffing situation is unprecedented.
