The entire country is on the edge days after the shocking shootings that took place in Gilory, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Although officials are putting in all the effort to calm everyone down, it seems things are only getting worse – partly because officials themselves seem more tense than ever.
This Wednesday, authorities received an anonymous tip that an armed person is preparing for a mass shooting downtown McLean, Virginia. The police immediately evacuated the headquartes of USA Today but, as it turned out, it was a false alarm.
The Fairfax County Police Department later admitted that ‘At this time, we have found no evidence of any acts of violence or injuries’ via Twitter. USA Today staff members also shared videos and updates on social media proving that the police report was mistaken. On the bright side, the event showed how fast officials were able to organize everyone in case of emergency.
We’re moving further up the street, away from the building. pic.twitter.com/w8SpdVWa5w
— Alex Ptachick (@alexptachick) August 7, 2019
Times Square mass panic
Only hours ago, hundreds of New Yorkers experienced one of the most frightening moments of their lives when real pandemonium was set off in Times Square. Just a couple of loud noises caused by motorcycles backfiring made everyone start running chaotically as they believed it was another mass shooting.
The surveillance footage of a restaurant in Times Square showed dozens of clients jumping over tables, hiding beneath chairs or running for cover.
#EXCLUSIVE: Surveillance video from @JuniorsCheeseck in Midtown shows the panic amid a stampede in Times Square due to a motorcycle backfiring that people mistook for gunshots. @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/Vz9iPf12Sz
— Anthony DiLorenzo (@ADiLorenzoTV) August 7, 2019
As one of the most visited tourist spots in New York, one can only imagine the chaos released as the crowd of Times Square heard the loud noises. Another footage shows the pandemonium set off on the street: (keep reading…)
