A cheerleading competition in Dallas took a dramatic turn when a massive brawl led to false reports of an active shooter. According to WFAA, police said the incident began when two parents got into a physical altercation at the annual NCA All-Star National Championship. As the fight escalated, multiple poles fell, creating a loud noise that many mistook for gunfire.

Panic Spreads Amid False Active Shooter Reports

As the chaos unfolded, people at the convention center panicked and ran for safety. In response, police received reports of an active shooter. However, when officers arrived at the scene, they determined that no shooting had occurred. Despite the absence of gunfire, multiple individuals sustained non-life-threatening injuries as they were caught in the stampede of people fleeing the scene, police said.

Event Organizers Respond to the Incident

Varsity Brands, the event’s organizer, released a statement addressing the incident.

“Earlier today, The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center was evacuated as a precaution based on reports of a safety concern,” the company said in a statement, per WFAA. “NCA security officials immediately began working with the Dallas Police Department to quickly investigate, which found that the incident was triggered by an altercation between two attendees, which led to panic and multiple non-life-threatening injuries in the aftermath.”

Injuries Reported from the Stampede

Among those injured in the chaos was 14-year-old cheerleader Autumn Holub.

“I got pushed into a corner,” Holub told KDFW. “I fell. My knees are hurting, my hands are hurting. I thought I was going to pass out. I had no clue what I was doing.”

Competition Resumes Following Scare

Despite the alarming incident, Varsity Brands confirmed that the competition, which draws thousands of attendees to Dallas each year, resumed on Sunday morning “with athletes and our crowd in good spirits.”