Panic ensued at the pride march in Washington, D.C. after people believed they heard a gunshot by Dupont Circle. The sound sent people running through the nation's capital on Saturday evening, with some of the marchers injured. According to a report by the Associated Press, while most of those harmed only incurred minor injuries, seven were taken to hospitals.
Guillermo Rivera, a commander with the Metropolitan Police Department told AP, "As the officers were going to the scene, there was a crowd of people going away from it and some of the individuals in the crowd said there was a man with a gun and that someone had fired a shot." The man is currently in the custody of authorities, and is facing a gun possession charge.
#Breaking: @DCPoliceDept say NO shots fired at #capitalPrideParade but someone yelled into crowd that there was a gun. People started running. Police later found a firearm in someone's backpack. That person being questioned.. Minor injuries from the crowd running. @wusa9
— Delia Gonçalves (@deliangoncalves) June 9, 2019
Update: Police have confirmed to News4 that a gun was recovered from a backpack in Dupont Circle, but said the gun was never "brandished" nor threats made. One person is being questioned by police. https://t.co/Uevi70mcEA
— NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) June 9, 2019
@DCPoliceDept Cmdr. Guillermo Rivera says officers ran to DuPont Cir. after a report of a man with a gun firing shots but did not confirm any shots were actually fired. He officers arrested the man & located a pistol nearby. The 7 injured were all hurt as they ran from the scene. pic.twitter.com/cosT1c3MwG
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) June 9, 2019
"We cannot allow this incident, until we know all the facts of it, we cannot allow this incident to ruin the pride celebration going on this weekend," Ashley Smith, the president of Capital Pride Alliance, said. "We're very focused on wanting to make sure we continue to have a great event for the rest of the weekend."
Image via Getty