Pride Event Injuries After 'Possible Chemical Agent' Released: Police
Newsweek.Organized by Baltimore Pride, an affiliate of The Pride Center of Maryland, the Baltimore Parade and Block Party took place Saturday afternoon on North Charles Street in Maryland's most populous city."At approximately 8:37 p.m., attendees informed officers stationed at the Pride Parade festivities that a possible chemical agent was released into the crowd, potentially mace, hair spray, or another agent.
Police did not release the chemical agent," Detective Freddie Talbert of the BPD told Newsweek in an email Sunday afternoon."Additionally, fireworks were set off at the location, causing attendees to flee the area," Talbert said. "Due to the large crowd fleeing, several individuals were injured as they attempted to leave the area." Reports suggest this took place near the party's mainstage on North Avenue and Charles Street.Officials from the Baltimore Fire Department "treated individuals, and the event was shut down," Talbert added.
Online, the event was originally slated to end at 9 p.m.Newsweek is unable to confirm how many people were in attendance and injured.
Over 1,200 individuals RSVPed to the event on the Baltimore Pride website. Organizers at the Pride Center of Maryland previously estimated that the weekend's celebrations would attract 100,000 people.Talbert informed Newsweek that this is an ongoing investigation."The type of chemical agent released has not been confirmed.
