Florida Mall ‘active shooter’ scare in Orlando sparks stampede and sees dozens of shoppers hiding in storage room
AN "active shooter" scare at a busy mall in Florida sparked a stampede on Saturday afternoon.
Dramatic video from inside Florida Mall near Orlando showed terrified shoppers fleeing the mall with others seen hiding in a storage room.
Local authorities later confirmed that no shots were fired and the noise that sparked the panic was from suspected fireworks.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office ook to social media in an effort to curb the panic as false information spread online.
"NO shots fired at Florida Mall. Loud noise is suspected fireworks," the the law enforcement agency said in a tweet.
"Please help tamp down those false rumors," the tweet continued.
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Law enforcement were called to the scene after getting a report of a gunshot sound at the indoor shopping center, according to initial reports local news station SNBC 13.
As the sound sent some shoppers fleeing the mall, others appeared to take cover inside storage rooms and department stores, according to posts on social media.
"Currently stuck in a storage room," one user tweeted before law enforcement announced that no shots had been fired.
"This is our new reality."
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The tweet also contained video showing shoppers huddled on the floor of a storage room.
In the footage, several children could be seen taking cover.
Another video showed people rushing out of the building through a back exit of a store.
The person holding the camera is running towards the exit while filming, catching a glimpse of an abandoned Minnie Mouse stroller left behind.
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The active shooter scare in Orlando is the latest incident where sounds of fireworks or other loud noises have been mistaken for gun shots, sending crowds of Americans into a panic.
On July 4, hours after a gunman massacred parade-goers in Highland Park, Illinois, the sounds of fireworks triggered chaos in Orlando with people mistakenly believing an active shooter was underway.