Chaos Erupts In Times Square After Crowd Mistakes Backfiring Vehicles For Possible Mass Shooter
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – There was widespread panic Tuesday night in Times Square after crowds mistook a backfiring vehicle for another mass shooting in America.
According to police, at least one motorcycle backfired near Times Square multiple times just before 10 p.m.
There is no #ActiveShooter in #TimesSquare. Motorcycles backfiring while passing through sounded like gun shots.
We are recieving multiple 911 calls. Please don’t panic. The Times Square area is very safe! @NYPDnews @NYPDTimesSquare
— NYPD Midtown North (@NYPDMTN) August 7, 2019
Authorities report that the vehicle was part of a large group of motorcycles travelling through the area at the time.
Unfortunately, because of the recent mass shooting in Ohio and Texas, many visitors in the area panicked at what they thought was another attack.
Please be advised that all is safe and secure in #timessquare
. All reports of suspicious sounds were due to a large group of
cruising through the area on this nice evening. #connecting #protecting
— NYPD Midtown South (@NYPDMTS) August 7, 2019
According to multiple reports and several posts on social media, countless people in Times Square and in surrounding areas fled in terror.
Manhattan | 11 Times Square.
Motorcycle backfiring mistaken for gunshots. pic.twitter.com/LXoKUKRugJ— New York City 911 (@NYC_Alerts911) August 7, 2019
Some social media users claim panicked individuals screamed “shooter” after hearing the backfiring motorcycle – sending more people stampeding in fear.
So we’re in Times Square and everyone starts running and screaming “SHOOTER.” So we start running and bust into Richard Rodgers Theatre: The Home of Hamilton. Everyone is frantic and crying and Beth and I are SHAKING bc we’re on the stage where @Lin_Manuel preformed pic.twitter.com/s5l36dqUqZ
— nichole elise (@nichole_5909) August 7, 2019
Stay with CBS New York for the latest on this developing story.
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August 07, 2019 at 08:04AM
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