HOMESTEAD, Pa. — A flyer circulating on social media this week has raised alarms regarding a teen pop-up party scheduled for Saturday at Frick Park in Homestead.
The event, advertised as a gathering for teens, encourages attendees to bring their alcohol and drugs, directly conflicting with the park’s posted rules, which prohibit drugs, weapons, littering, alcohol, charcoal grills and unsupervised children.
Vaughn Rivers, a director at the violence prevention organization REACH, expressed the community’s concerns.
“Once we notice a couple of red flags or where this could be dangerous to the community at large, that’s when we have to step in and intervene,” Rivers said.
The flyer has sparked significant concern, particularly in light of recent violence. REACH told Channel 11 that teens have been organizing these unofficial events since the summer began.
Officials are particularly worried following last month’s mass shooting at Garland Park in East Liberty, which officials believe started as an unsupervised teen pop-up party. That tragic event resulted in more than a dozen gunshot victims.
In response to the circulating flyer, REACH organizers have proactively engaged with public safety officials to ensure safety measures are in place. They successfully managed a similar situation at Ammons Pool in the Hill District just a day after the mass shooting.
Rivers highlighted the importance of providing teens with safe and positive outlets.
“The numbers and analytics show that we are doing something positive with this generation,” he added, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to mentor youth and redirect energies towards constructive activities.
Looking ahead, REACH has planned several positive initiatives for local teens, including a youth-led job fair scheduled for August and a series of cookouts, one of which is set to take place Friday at the East Hills Community Center, located at 2291 Wilner Drive, Pittsburgh, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In an effort to maintain community safety, REACH coordinators have notified Homestead officials and local outreach groups about the potential risks associated with the planned pop-up party. They will be present at the park on Saturday, prepared to deter any violent incidents.
The Homestead mayor has indicated that the council will discuss the matter in their upcoming meeting, with the potential consideration of closing the park early in response to the safety concerns raised by the community.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
