This past weekend, chaos broke out after WBA world lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis defended his belt against challenger Rolando Romero based on rumors of gunfire.
Gunfire claims at Davis vs. Romero
While the fight didn’t go the distance, ‘Rolly’ showed his boxing prowess by outscoring Davis in the earlier rounds. Many people believed Romero to be ahead although only one judge had scored it in his favor up to that point. All hopes of Romero coming out on top were shattered when Davis knocked him out in the sixth round.
Following their headlining bout at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, the crowd was sent into a pandemonium based on a ‘sound disturbance’ that led them to fear the possibility of having an active shooter in the building.
About a dozen people were taken to the hospital amidst the ruckus stemming from the unfounded reports. Ten people received treatment for minor injuries sustained in their attempts to get out of the arena.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeChC9KLNWm/
10 people were injured at the event
Tweets from the people present at the time give an insight into the paranoia spreading around of gunfire and an unknown attacker after Davis vs. Romero.
Scary moment as crowds pour back into Barclays Center, my fear was a shooting but those fears proved unfounded. pic.twitter.com/pcBdfwWplt
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) May 29, 2022
Gunshots at the Barclays centre #TankRolly pic.twitter.com/1kgwgKca2f
— Smirkey (@CryptoSmirkey) May 29, 2022
Tennis star Naomi Osaka was in attendance last night and detailed a distressing experience of being barricaded in a room after the rumours of “an active shooter” circulated.
I was just in the Barclays center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running, 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.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 29, 2022
Mike Coppinger of ESPN confirmed that security inside the building and police were also under the impression that a shooter might be on the loose.
A Barclays Center security supervisor told ESPN there was a person with a gun in the main plaza that led to a stampede back into the arena. Multiple people transported to hospital. Official estimated approximately a dozen injuries. Among them: a concussion and an elbow injury. https://t.co/LPfMO5qPzT
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) May 29, 2022
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated followed up to disregard the rumor and let everyone know that the claims weren’t real.
No shots were fired inside Barclays, a source told SI. Whatever happened took place just outside the building.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) May 29, 2022
Eventually, NYPD detective Adam Navarro briefed media outlets on the situation explaining that an undefined ‘sound disturbance’ from outside the building had led the people to mistake them for gunshots. Given the recent string of shootings taking place in the country, the crowd can be hardly blamed for fearing the worst.
In the end, it turned out to be a good thing that it was a false alarm and nobody got seriously hurt.
