Boxing fans in mass panic after shooter false alarm following Gervonta Davis win

Terrified boxing fans fled for their lives in Brooklyn on Saturday night after fearing a gunman was inside the building.

Having watched Gervonta Davies stop Rolando Romero in the sixth round to retain his WBA lightweight title, many spectators attempting to leave the Barclays Arena then ran back towards the arena floor. Some even leapt into the sanctuary of the ring with the initial reason for the commotion unclear.

According to reports, a significant sound disturbance had prompted panic, causing many to think an active shooter was in the main plaza. Ten people were taken to hospital with minor injuries caused by crowd surges in the ensuing stampede.

Eye witnesses inside the arena took to Twitter to explain the harrowing scenes, with journalist Ryan Songalia saying: "Scary moment as crowds pour back into Barclays Center, my fear was a shooting but those fears proved unfounded."

ESPN boxing reporter Mike Coppinger went into further detail, saying: "A Barclays Center security supervisor told ESPN there was a person with a gun in the main plaza that led to a stampede back into the arena. Multiple people transported to hospital.

"Official estimated approximately a dozen injuries. Among them: a concussion and an elbow injury." He later added: "An NYPD detective told ESPN they were looking into the possibility there was a shooting."

Have you ever been frightened for your life whilst watching sport? Let us know in the comments section.

One star at the event was tennis player Naomi Osaka, who said: "I was just in the Barclays Centre 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****** petrified man.

"I really hope everyone made it out safely, since I’m tweeting this we made it out ok." However the New York Post later reported that rumours of a shooter were "inaccurate."

A spokesperson told The Post: “It’s a large crowd condition. No shots fired. No one shot outside the Barclay’s Center." The event came in the same week of the harrowing school shooting in Texas, which left 19 schoolchildren and two adults dead.

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