HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams spoke strongly at a press conference Friday addressing the safety concerns at the Fourth of July event that led to the premature end of the city’s massive fireworks show.

Three guns, one being a BB gun and the other being a pistol that could become fully automatic with a 24-round magazine, were found on multiple juveniles and a man during the event. The man threw the other gun into the river while running across the Walnut Street Bridge and divers are searching for it now.

The only person injured in the incident was Williams who was knocked over when someone ran into her at the event. She took to the podium on Friday saying “well you all see me limping over here.”

Williams went on to call out the “parents of Harrisburg,” saying that they need to do better and bringing up the future of children involved in violence.

“It is time for the parents in Harrisburg to take charge and start working with us because the way this keeps going, where do you think your kids are going to end up at,” Williams said. “What in the world is your child doing carrying an automatic weapon into a crowd of people or throwing firecrackers on the ground scaring people to death, thinking someone is popping off a gun? Or running with a crew at one in the morning, looking for trouble? Is that the young man or young lady you raised.”

Williams also pointed to how few parents have attended the meetings of the parent task force the city established in November to help prevent violence and establish community. This was created following a shooting where multiple children were shot.

Williams said families in the city have a right to be upset and that she shares in that frustration. Knowing that people will ask “Where’s the mayor?” she made it very clear where she is.

“I am right here and I’ve been here, and I’ll continue to be here, offering to help,” said WIlliams. “But we can not do it alone, and if we are going to turn this around we need everybody rowing the boat in the same direction.”

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In 2022, there was a big fight between juveniles broke out before the city’s July 4 fireworks show where firecrackers were set off, so some people in the area thought there was a shooting. One juvenile was arrested, and no one was “significantly” injured, police said.

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