Entire city of Pittsburgh shuts down because of guy trying to scare pigeons with a pellet gun

For real.

All city public schools shut down early... downtown buildings evacuated... the inbound Fort Pitt tunnel (i.e. the beginning/end of Interstate 279) closed. All for a guy with a pellet gun.


Pellet Gun Terror Update -- The Post-Gazette got a great photo of Mayor Bob O'Connor being hurried away from the Pigeon-Fire danger zone:


Pellet Gun Terror Update 2 -- It turns out the guy who caused the whole scene managed to leave Downtown in the middle of everything:

There was no sniper after all, only a maintenance man at the Pittsburgh Allegheny County Thermal plant shooting at pigeons inside the 10-story facility with a pellet rifle... When police discovered that tidbit of information, they also learned another. Despite the rapid response and overwhelming police presence, the worker, a Fayette County resident, had quietly left, possibly oblivious to the uproar he had caused.