HARRISBURG, Pa.– Two people were shot in downtown Harrisburg, as bars were clearing out and crowds got violent early Sunday morning.
It started around 2:40 a.m., when Harrisburg Police were called to handle an argument on the 200-block of North 2nd Street. They arrested a man who was involved in an assault. As that man was being taken into custody, more fights started outside of the bars. The crowd grew in size with an overwhelming number of people being violent. At this point, officers used pepper spray to subdue the crowd and called for mutual aid from other departments and Pennsylvania State Police to help control the crowd.
Officers then heard gunshots in the area of “The Capital Gastro Pub” and ran to confront the gunman. As people fled, they blocked the roadway, not allowing additional police officers to enter the area. More shots were heard and a woman was found with a gunshot wound to the leg across the street from the pub. She was taken to the hospital.
Officers continued looking for more victims after being told that a man was also shot. Minutes later, a man arrived at Harrisburg Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg.
Police found bullet casings in the doorway of the Santander Bank on the south-east corner of the 200-block of Pine Street. Neither victim could provide police with any information about the shooter(s); they said they were walking on the sidewalk when the shots began.
Investigators say despite hundreds of people being on the street, no witnesses came forward to give officers any information on what happened.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Harrisburg Police by calling (717) 558-6900.