Dozens Hospitalized at Kenny Chesney’s Pittsburgh Concert
In 2013, a Kenny Chesney concert at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park resulted in over 70 arrests, brawls and over 30 tons of trash left at the venue. The country star returned to the Pennsylvania city Saturday night for another concert, and while the aftermath wasn’t as severe the second time around, the gig ended with 37 people taken to area hospitals as well as a handful of arrests, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Despite the arrests, hospitalizations and garbage the Chesney concert left in its wake, Pittsburgh chief operations officer Guy Costa told the Post-Gazette that the city was “very pleased” with their response to the gig. “There was superb inter-agency cooperation,” Costa said of the collaboration between city police, public works, emergency medical responders, sheriff’s deputies and other county personnel.
The Pittsburgh public safety director added that, of the 37 people who required additional medical attention, none of the patients were in serious condition, with “over-intoxication and dehydration” the main culprit. Likewise, of the seven arrests, most were a result of “alcohol misbehavior,” with none of the arrests deemed serious. Another 36 people were cited for underage drinking, while three people were charged with marijuana possession.
Those arrested face charges ranging from trespassing and ticket robbery to simple assault and public intoxication, The Associated Press reports. Additionally, one police officer injured his hand breaking up a fight between concertgoers.
Although the area around PNC Park wasn’t trashed as badly as it was in 2013, concertgoers still left their mark on the venue. “I have never seen this amount of trash, ever,” Chesney fan Jen Telfer told the Post-Gazette. “What are we, savages?” However, by 6 a.m. Sunday morning, the majority of the trash had been cleared.