Yet another downtown stabbing (Pittsburgh, Bethlehem: 2015, safest area, university)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Just another Tuesday night at Gooski's!

I was going to say in my basement, but close enough...

[norcider]

Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix?

Details on this one are murky. They charged the person who used his knife, but it may have been in self defense. Is self defense with a knife allowed?

I don't know why it wouldn't be. If that's all I had and was in fear for my life I'd sure use it. Unless it was an illegal knife like a gravity knife/automatic it should be no different than picking up a stick/rock to defend yourself.

[gladhands]

Does anyone know WHY so many drug addicts and mentally ill people congregate downtown? I don’t advocate having police force people out of public spaces, but I’m genuinely curious as to why they’re there.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Does anyone know WHY so many drug addicts and mentally ill people congregate downtown? I don’t advocate having police force people out of public spaces, but I’m genuinely curious as to why they’re there.

I am guessing it's a combination of three things:

1. It's a relatively good place to panhandle.

2. Most have free bus passes, and thus can get to downtown easily.

3. There is a relatively high concentration of social services (compared to other places) providing service to the homeless and drug addicts in and around downtown.

[Charley Barker]

Originally Posted by gladhands

Does anyone know WHY so many drug addicts and mentally ill people congregate downtown? I don’t advocate having police force people out of public spaces, but I’m genuinely curious as to why they’re there.

Here's my guesses (as to why it has gone this far):

1.) downtown is the primary public transportation hub
2.) abundant panhandling opportunities (i.e. "I rob banks because that where the money is")
3.) several shelters are located downtown providing food and a place of respite
4.) county social services located in town (Wood St. Commons)
5.) tiny number of residents (and even less with kids), so there are going to be less complaints to "do something"; if there were that many homeless or panhandlers in Brookline or Sq. Hill there would be an outcry

I know the Cultural Trust was ahead of this, but you would think if anyone were going nuts about this, it would be Point Park Univ. I am not sure how they define their physical campus, but any crimes on campus are mandated to be reported to the US Dept of Education under the Clery Act when a school takes federal financial aid (Title IV). I am sure they are working their back channels in City Hall.

[gg]

Just 4 in a month. Trend? Probably not, but one needs to keep an eye on this. Maybe Pittsburgh will get back to the 80s someday? Don’t know. Wow.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by gg

Just 4 in a month. Trend? Probably not, but one needs to keep an eye on this. Maybe Pittsburgh will get back to the 80s someday? Don’t know. Wow.

I wouldn’t consider it an issue if it was indeed self defense. If it was self defense, good for him.

What was better in regards to safety in Pittsburgh in the 80’s? Only the news and newspaper back then versus social media today to report everything that goes on?

[norcider]

The 80s were worse by far regarding safety in town. We had open prostitution on Penn and Liberty among other things.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by norcider

The 80s were worse by far regarding safety in town. We had open prostitution on Penn and Liberty among other things.

Bingo

[SteelCityRising]

Overall I still feel safe Downtown.

Walk purposefully and remain vigilant of your surroundings.

Avoid making direct eye contact with those you pass if possible.

At night on the rare occasion I did feel uncomfortable I might have hovered my hand over my pocket/waist area while walking to make others poised to do harm think I was armed and attempt a different target.

Stick to well-lit corridors when possible. Even in the Strip District, which is very safe, I often walk to and from Downtown via Liberty Avenue in the dark instead of Penn Avenue because it's better-lit.

I still feel like random violent crime overall is extremely rare in this city. I mean how many years later now are people still talking about the murders of the Wolfe sisters in East Liberty? Our homicide rate so far in 2019 is half that of Cincinnati, and our cities are the same size.