Thousands of Orlando residents fled a fireworks show at Lake Eola yesterday, after a crowd panic was set off by fireworks.
Videos from the scene show waves of people sprinting away from the lakefront, believing that a gun had been fired. Orlando Police tweeted that no evidence of a shooting was found and they believe the sound that triggered the rush was fireworks from within the crowd.
"At this time, it appears that a noise during the fireworks show confused some spectators, causing the reaction. No serious injuries have been reported. Only minor injuries suffered by some spectators who fell during the commotion," the police department shared on Twitter.
The crowd's jumpiness is understandable, as a Fourth of July parade in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park turned deadly earlier in the day. In that case, police believe 22-year-old Robert E. Crimo III fired onto the parade from a nearby roof, killing six people and injuring many more with rapid bursts of gunfire. A similar crowd panic occurred last night in Philadelphia following gunshots.
Of course, Orlando has its own history of indiscriminate gun violence. Just over six years ago, a shooting at Pulse nightclub claimed 49 lives. At the time it was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, an unfortunate title that it held for less than two years.
Needless to say, thousands of people being so on edge that fireworks at a fireworks show can send them sprinting into the night is something worth commenting on. Social media users did just that, sharing reactions and videos in real time.
Orlando police say shooting panic at Lake Eola 4th of July fireworks show was caused by fireworks
By Alex Galbraith on Tue, Jul 5, 2022 at 10:37 am
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Didn’t expect to have to run for my life at the Downtown Orlando 4th of July Fireworks at Lake Eola. This is the state of the world we live in.
— Lugo Nasty 😎 (@lugo_nasty) July 5, 2022
Hundreds of people at firework show at Lake Eola suddenly start to flee down the street. Police rushing the other way. Its unclear what has happened. @fox35orlando pic.twitter.com/87GGDmTePD
— Connor Hansen FOX 35 (@Connor_R_Hansen) July 5, 2022
WTF happened at Lake Eola during the fireworks show? #Orlando #4thOfJuly pic.twitter.com/xt3mo5H7wV
— Patrick Nurse✊🏾⚔🖤💛⚔🏳️🌈 (@PatrickNurseFTW) July 5, 2022
Mass panic tonight at Lake Eola in Orlando.
— 🦕dino (@dinofavara) July 5, 2022
People thought there was a shooter during the fireworks show.
Turned out a false alarm but was crazy to be in a situation of mass panic like that.
Someone shot off fireworks in the middle of a crowd watching the main fireworks at Lake Eola in Orlando, spooked people, set off a panic and a stampede. 12 injured, Orlando police say.
— Christie Zizo (@ChristieZizo) July 5, 2022
YOU’RE AT A PROFESSIONAL FIREWORKS SHOW, WHY ARE YOU SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS IN A CROWD?!?!?!?!
"Something caused people to flee" says the story, as if it's entirely mysterious and inexplicable on a day when a Trumper shot two dozen people at a parade in a country where we can't go two weeks without a gun massacre https://t.co/M8NqL1KNkn
— Evan Sutton (@3vanSutton) July 5, 2022
so i was in lake eola watching fireworks with my family when all of a sudden everyone started running. someone thought that there was an active shooter and it was honestly one of the most terrifying things i’ve ever experienced
— maria⁷ 🍯 (@bulletproofalan) July 5, 2022
Devastated by the sights and experience at Lake Eola fireworks. My daughter is traumatized by the terrifying occurrence and literally running for our lives. My heart and prayers go out to all the families who now have to soothe massive terror in the minds of their children.
— Miss Jess (@jess_macchione) July 5, 2022
Wow. I’m still shaken up. People suddenly just started fleeing the fireworks show at Lake Eola. I had no idea why. But Orlando Police just released a statement: there is NO evidence of a shooting in the area… There is NO public safety hazard at this time.” pic.twitter.com/t3A6GxedKb
— Megan Cruz (@MeganDcCruz) July 5, 2022
Last night at the lake eola firework show, hundreds of people ran for their lives at the sheer thought of hearing gunshots in a crowd. If you don’t believe in some form of gun control at this point, you’re not paying attention.
— s t e p h ⋆ (@sneffg2) July 5, 2022
The American people are terrified.
I had my first “run for my life” moment at the firework show at Lake Eola tonight. This is the state of the world we live in - terrifying.
— Hannah Richards (@hannahrich918) July 5, 2022
Look how all these shootings got people paranoid fireworks went up at lake eola and people started running thinking it was bullets !
— AALIYAH💙👑♍️ (@Liyahboo_95) July 5, 2022
Orlando Police are releasing new video of the moment when chaos erupted at last night’s Fireworks at the Fountain event at Lake Eola Park. https://t.co/GhxrQoGR39 pic.twitter.com/EYfBsXDPZ0
— Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) July 5, 2022
Something sounded off to me while we were at the Lake Eola fireworks show, right behind us people started bull rushing us and we just fled. Cops didn’t even know what what going on and fireworks kept going. https://t.co/x6TeiPFVqK
— DeepSea_Takes (@DeepSea_Takes) July 5, 2022
I’m not sure of the cause but almost everyone was running during the Lake Eola fireworks. #lakeeola #orlando pic.twitter.com/XEnJacKwdu
— J (@TravelingClarke) July 5, 2022
Twitter/PatrickNurseFTW
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