Christmas Day stampede at Disney World as panicked families mistake a fistfight for shots being fired
- Families panicked after people said they heard gunshots at Disney World
- Parents grabbed their children and ‘ran for their lives’ during the stampede
- Police said it was a false alarm and that a fistfight was mistaken for gunfire
- Scare comes after Disney tightened security following recent terror attacks
Families were caught up in a stampede at Disney World on Christmas Day after people mistook a fistfight for shots being fired.
Parents described grabbing their children and ‘running for their lives’ after panic suddenly broke out at the resort in Orlando, Florida.
People hid inside shops and restaurants as police swept Downtown Disney for a shooter, but officers quickly realized that it was a false alarm.
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Families were caught up in a stampede at Disney World on Christmas Day after people mistook a fistfight for shots being fired. Pictures, families huddle together during the scare
People hid inside shops and restaurants as police swept Downtown Disney for a shooter, but officers quickly realized that it was a false alarm
Mother Melissa Paz was on a Christmas Day out at Disney World when ‘mass hysteria’ erupted.
‘There was a stampede at the Lego store at Disney Springs,’ she said.
‘Luckily we were only on the outside area of the store and were able to shield the kids from the mob. Shaken, but not a scratch on us.
‘Scared the s*** out of us! Apparently a fight broke out, shots may have been fired but no one was shot.’
Jessica James was also at the resort and said: ‘We got more excitement than we bargained for tonight when we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a panic triggered by a rumored gun-related altercation.
‘Heavy police, EMS, and aerial presence and great crowd control saw us safely out of the area after a brief period of huddled confusion inside a nearby restaurant.
‘I do believe they were and will continue to downplay the seriousness of the incident but we were witness to the level of panic shown by those closest to the action.’
Panicked visitors to Disney World said they heard there were gunshots before running for their lives
Parents described grabbing their children and ‘running for their lives’ after panic suddenly broke out at the resort (file picture) in Orlando, Florida
Footage taken moments after the scare shows parents huddling inside a restaurant with their children as a commotion appears to be going on outside.
Orange County Sheriff Office spokeswoman Deputy Lourdes Clayton told the Orlando Sentinel that the fight started on the second floor of the Bongos restaurant.
She said the confrontation created a loud noise that may have sounded like a gunshot.
Clayton added that one person was arrested in relation to the fight on a charge of disorderly conduct.
Reedy Creek Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Eric Ferrari said it was a ‘total false alarm’.
‘Everyone is on edge in general. I guess it started a mass panic,’ he said.
The fright came just a week after Disney announced that it was stepping up security measures at its parks in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and California.
Visitors now have to go through metal detectors and the sale of toy guns – including squirt guns – has been banned. Guests cannot bring their own with them either.
Children over the age of 14 are no longer allowed to wear costumes, even on Halloween, Disney said.