Frantic tourists and locals scrambled for cover in New York as the loud noise of a motorcycle backfiring sparked panic in the landmark Times Square.
New York Police Department said it received multiple 911 calls but reassured the public, adding that motorcycles backfiring had sounded like gunshots.
Video footage showed throngs rushing out of the area, with some taking cover behind vehicles.
“You hear a noise, you run. That’s the state of this nation. We’re petrified,” New York governor Andrew Cuomo said as he reflected on the panic.
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
Gideon Glick, an actor in To Kill a Mockingbird at the Shubert Theatre, said the show had to be stopped because of the chaos.
He wrote on Twitter: “Screaming civilians tried to storm our theatre for safety. The audience started screaming and the cast fled the stage. This is the world we live in. This cannot be our world.”
The Fire Department of New York said nine people were hurt, with six taken to hospital. Most injuries were minor.
