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Rumours of gunfire cut short a Wiz Khalifa concert in Indianapolis on Friday night, causing fans to flee the venue by climbing over seats and fences.
According to a statement from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place at approximately 10:28 pm at the Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville when “a disturbance” was reported from the outdoor venue’s lawn seating area.
“Security staff responded quickly, and all the subjects nearby began exiting the area on foot. The emergency action plan was initiated and followed, and all gates including non-public exits were opened,” the statement said.
Three people were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries, though the cause of them remains unknown
“Police staff deployed multiple quick response teams and swept the area. No weapons were found.”
Authorities added that three people were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries, though the cause of them remains unknown.
The incident at Ruoff Music Center is the third of its kind to happen at a music event in the US this summer, with the most recent taking place in Pennsylvania earlier this month.
Reported gunfire sent festivalgoers into a stampede at the state’s Musikfest on 13 August, prompting police to temporarily shut down the area.
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Reported gunfire sent festivalgoers into a stampede at Musikfest in Pennsylvania on Saturday night (13 August), prompting police to temporarily shut down the area.
The annual 10-day music festival in the Leigh Valley town of Bethlehem was wrapping up its penultimate night when a gunshot was heard near Main and Lehigh Streets.
Alarmed by the shooting, attendees were reportedly sent into a panic that led to several being injured in a crowdsurge.
One attendee told local newspaper The Morning Call that “no one knew” what was happening and in the midst of the stampede she saw people fall and get stepped on.
“I tried helping [someone] up. He couldn’t catch his breath. He was bleeding profusely on his hands”
She continued: “I tried helping [someone] up. He couldn’t catch his breath. He was bleeding profusely on his hands, so I tried to help them as much as I could. I thought maybe he was in a fight. The bleeding was coming a lot from his knuckles but it turned out it was because they stepped on his hands.”
It’s unclear how many people were involved in the shooting but Bethlehem police chief Michelle Kott said “law enforcement [was] on site and in control of the situation”, and that there was “no known continuing threat to the public”.
Kott described the shooting as an “isolated incident” and said that an investigation had been launched.
The festival was shut down Saturday night as a precaution but was authorised to reopen on Sunday.
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