At least 10 people were reportedly injured when spectators leaving a Brooklyn, N.Y., boxing match mistook loud sounds for gunshots.
Most fans had left the Barclays Center after a boxing match between Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero when a fight broke out. Loud noises accompanying the fight sent panicked people running back into the arena. Some of them warned people inside there was an active shooter outside. Among those still inside the arena was top-ranked female tennis star Naomi Osaka.
“I was just in the Barclays center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running,” Osaka said in a Sunday morning Twitter post, “then we were being yelled at that there was an active shooter and we had to huddle in a room and close the doors.”
“I was so fucking petrified man,” continued Osaka.
Ring Magazine reporter Ryan Songalia posted a video clip to his Twitter account that shows panicked people running in all directions inside the arena.
Watch:
Ryan-Songalia-Scary-moment-as-crowds-pour-back-into-Barclays-Center-my-fear-was-a-shooting-but-those-fears-proved-unfounded
Less than ten minutes later, Osaka posted another message: “I really hope everyone made it out safely, since I’m tweeting this we made it out ok.”
New York Police Department Detective Adam Navarro said in a phone call that there was no shooting at the Barclays Center, according to a CNN report. Navarro explained a “sound disturbance” caused people to panic and run.
Just before 7 a.m., Captain Frantz Souffrant of NYPD’s 78th Precinct tweeted an official clarification. “After investigating the incident at the Barclays Center this morning, we determined that no shots were fired,” Souffrant stated.
The 10 injured suffered only minor injuries, the report noted, and they transported to a hospital for treatment.
NYC has some of the toughest gun laws among U.S. cities and most citizens are unable to receive licenses to carry handguns. So, a suspected active shooter amplifies terror because all unarmed citizens can do is try to hide or run until law enforcement shows up to resolve the incident.
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