Backfiring motorcycle causes scare in Times Square

NEW YORK — A motorcycle that backfired in New York City Tuesday night caused a panic in Times Square, police said.

Citizens on edge after a pair of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, ran for cover shortly before 10 p.m. after hearing loud noises that some interpreted as shots, WNBC reported.

Backfiring motorcycles were mistaken for gunshots from an active shooter, causing panic in Times Square on Tuesday. https://t.co/csPgn0DTcr pic.twitter.com/OD3PufD7yv
— CNN (@CNN) August 7, 2019

Police said at least one motorcycle backfired near Seventh Avenue and 46th Street multiple times, WCBS reported.

Police confirmed no shots were fired, several media outlets reported. There were several minor injuries reported as people scrambled to safety, police said.

There is no #ActiveShooter in #TimesSquare. Motorcycles backfiring while passing through sounded like gun shots.

We are recieving multiple 911 calls. Please don’t panic. The Times Square area is very safe! @NYPDnews @NYPDTimesSquare
— NYPD Midtown North (@NYPDMTN) August 7, 2019

"All of a sudden I heard this kind of muffled pop and said what was that, and I looked over and there was just a sea of people running," Dylan Probert told WABC. "I had one or two seconds to think, is this really happening?"

Police, who received multiple 911 calls, urged people not to panic, noting the "Times Square area is very safe," WPIX reported.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio went on Twitter to confirm that Times Square was safe, but added that "What people felt was all too real."

"Nobody should have to live in constant fear of gun violence," de Blasio tweeted.

Times Square is safe and secure per @NYPDNews. The noises earlier were motorcycles backfiring, not gunshots.

But what people felt was all too real.

Nobody should have to live in constant fear of gun violence. This country is better than this.

Let’s FIX this NOW. https://t.co/5xPkw6TGnZ
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 7, 2019

Cox Media Group