Culture

A Stampede Erupts At New York’s Penn Station After Commuters Mistake Taser For A Gunshot

Chaos ensued at New York’s heavily trafficked Penn Station on Friday night when Amtrak Police tased an “emotionally disturbed person,” according to NBC 4. The suspect, who was confronted by officials on the Amtrak level of the massive transit complex, was taken into custody — though not before the gathered crowds panicked at the “pop” sound of the taser. Mistaking it for the sound of a gunshit, Penn Station commuters dropped their belongings in droves and stampeded out into nearby shopping centers and the streets.

New York’s official emergency management Twitter announced all persons should “avoid the area” in and around Penn Station “due to police activity,” but didn’t initially explain why. As more and more photos and videos from the scene popped up on Twitter, however, it became readily apparent that something had happened. Authorities eventually revealed what actually happened through local press and official channels, but not before a massive panic ensued.

According to one bystander, someone in the crowd screamed “shots fired” — thereby igniting the stampede, as well as a rumor regarding the presence of a non-existent active shooter. A nearby Macy’s was inundated with travelers racing to get away from what turned out to be a false alarm.

The NYPD Counterterrorism Unit tweeted multiple times that previous calls of “shots fired” were made in error, and that no active shooter situation was underway at Penn Station. Despite these and other calls for calm, however, the resulting scene was a devastating one. Subsequent videos posted online revealed countless bags, backpacks, and other items of luggage and clothing that were abandoned in the initial rush.

(Via NBC 4)

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