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Shooting scare at Florida May may have been caused by fireworks
Video from inside The Florida Mall showed people hiding in a shoe store, as people were running down the hall of the mall after people thought there was an active shooter. Deputies with Orange County Sheriff's Office said the noise is suspected of being fireworks.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Panic broke out Saturday after people began to run from what they believed to be gunfire at The Florida Mall in Orlando. At least one person suffered a laceration to the head after slipping and falling amid the chaos, according to the Orange County Fire Rescue.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said a shooting did not happen and that fireworks – not gunfire – may be to blame.
"Alert: NO shots fired at Florida Mall," OCSO said in a tweet at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. "Loud noise is suspected fireworks. Please help tamp down those false rumors."
Shortly before, reports of a shooting and a possible active shooter flooded social media, followed by videos of shoppers running through the mall or hiding in stores. Some people called the FOX 35 newsroom to report a shooting.
This is the second false shooting scare in Orlando that has prompted crowds to run within weeks.
Hundreds of people ran during the Fourth of July fireworks show at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando after a noise – potentially fireworks mistaken for gunfire – startled some in the crowd, which prompted a chain-reaction.
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Video shows crowd running after scare at Orlando fireworks show
Police are investigating after something prompted the crowd at Lake Eola to run during the fireworks show on the 4th of July.
After investigating videos and tips, Orlando police concluded there was no evidence of a shooting.