Three men traveled half way across the country to photograph an abandoned school. Then a SWAT team was called

The men said they’ve traveled to other abandoned places to take photos in the past

Three men were arrested in Pittsburgh on Memorial Day after they were caught allegedly trespassing at an old junior high school in Pennsylvania.

On Monday, police and SWAT units were dispatched to the Knoxville Junior High School on Charles Street, which is currently abandoned after closing in the early 2000s.

A caller reported seeing three men enter the school through a front window at around 3:45 pm.

Police allegedly found Sean Alvarez, Pearson Phillips, and Kai Ortiz at the site, and have charged them with felony criminal trespassing.

A Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson told WTAE that a SWAT team was called after the three alleged trespassers failed to respond to officers at the site.

Knoxville Junior High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. SWAT officers were called to the abandoned school on Memorial Day 2025, where they found three men allegedly trespassing inside. The men — Sean Alvarez, Pearson Phillips, and Kai Oritz — said they frequently traveled to abandoned locations to take photos inside. They were all charged with criminal trespassing (Google Maps)

"SWAT was called because the three actors inside of the property were unresponsive to initial calls from officers upon their arrival. Due to the nature of the incident and out of an abundance of caution a SWAT response was warranted," Eliza Durham, of PPS, said.

According to law enforcement, the three men traveled to Pittsburgh from Kansas and Illinois to access the building and photograph its interior. They said that exploring and photographing abandoned structures is a hobby they share.

Urban exploration involves people visiting abandoned buildings or parts of cities where the public is general not supposed, or is not expected, to access. Tunnels, long defunct subway stations and utility corridors are all common sites for urban exploration, but by far the most common locations are large, abandoned buildings like schools, prisons, or malls.

It’s unclear if the men were taking photos for their personal collections or were shooting for content.

The city of Pittsburgh owns the school and has reportedly posted no trespassing signs at the site.

Police said they did find camera equipment inside the men's bags, according to WTAE.

All three of the men are awaiting arraignment, and it's unclear when they will face a preliminary hearing, according to CBS News.

The Independent has requested comment from the Pittsburgh police.