Panicked residents stampede out of Lake Eola during fireworks fearing gunfire

An estimated crowd of over 100,000 people flocked to downtown Orlando’s Lake Eola Park to watch the City’s official Fourth of July fireworks display but as soon as they started, hundreds were seen leaving en masse from the western side of the park.

Channel 6 anchors, Ginger Gadsden and Lisa Bell, who were filming live from the event, left their filming location mid-broadcast to seek safety when rumors started flying of an active shooter.

While a number of the people running from the park claimed to have seen or heard gunfire, Orlando Police took to Twitter to reassure everyone that no evidence had been found that would indicate a shooting took place.

According to Representative Anna Eskamani, someone threw fireworks behind a group of people at the park, causing them to panic, and flee the scene. That smaller group then snowballed and caused a massive evacuation on the western side of the park close to the public amphitheater, as seen in the collection of videos we spliced together below.

Only minor injuries have been reported, from people falling during the exodus from the park. People have also left behind hundreds of picnic blankets, chairs, and Fourth of July supplies in the park, that the Orlando Police Department is encouraging people to return and collect. Officers will be remaining in the area to ensure public safety and a Lost and Found area has been set up at Rosalind and East Robinson Street.

Any parents who are looking for children they may have lost during the event are encouraged to go to the intersection of Rosalind and Robinson.