Naomi Osaka has shared her “petrifying” experience of false active shooter claims as she attended the Gervonta Davis vs Rolando Romero boxing fight at the Barclays Center in New York.
Panic ensued after Davis knocked out Romero in the sixth round at the venue when talk of a shooter reached crowds. The NYPD has said the claims were false, saying in a statement: “It’s a large crowd condition. No shots fired. No one shot outside the Barclays Center.”
Some people were reportedly injured in stampedes and Osaka shared her experience of attending the event.
“I was just in the Barclays center and suddenly I heard shouting and saw people running, then we were being yelled at that there was an active shooter and we had to huddle in a room and close the doors, I was so f****g petrified man,” she wrote.
“I really hope everyone made it out safely, since I’m tweeting this we made it out ok.”
Osaka, who was knocked out the French Open in the first round, wasn’t the only person to share their accounts.
Reporter Ryan Sonaglia told The Post: “We’re used to brawls at boxing events but recent headlines and the panic of the crowd made many of us worried that our worst fears would come true. Thankfully we were able to return to our seats to file our stories and exit safely.”
Journalist Stefan Bondy wrote on Twitter: “I was inside Barclays Center and end of fight, as everybody was clearing out, there were reports of gunshots. I didn’t hear them but security guard said report on radio was it occurred on concourse. Crazy stampede of people followed. Scary scene.”
