A 37-year-old woman drove her minivan into a crowd during the Kipona Festival in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, injuring three people, including a six-year-old boy. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. as attendees prepared to leave the annual event celebrating Native American heritage.
Harrisburg police and Mayor Wanda Williams confirmed that the driver, described as a blond woman wearing a T-shirt reading “Mom Son Team,” swerved past barricades and struck two adults and a child before fleeing the scene. Witnesses reported police chasing the vehicle as it crashed into objects and pedestrians over five blocks. The male victim, who attempted to stop the van, was among those injured.
The child remains in critical condition, while the two adults—a wheelchair-bound woman and a city traffic engineering employee—were hospitalized but stabilized. The driver was arrested at the site.
Anna Rose Bakery & Coffee Shop, which has a location near the festival grounds, announced on Facebook it would close Tuesday, September 2, citing staff trauma after witnessing the incident. The bakery apologized for the disruption, stating employees needed time to process what they saw.
The festival’s conclusion had just begun, with vendors dismantling stalls and attendees making final purchases when the collision occurred. Police confirmed the motive behind the act remains unclear.