Officials say no shots fired after shooting report triggers panic at DC Pride parade

Reports of shots fired near Washington, D.C.’s Pride Parade sent crowds fleeing on Saturday, before a city official confirmed there was no active shooter. 

Washington’s Deputy Mayor Kevin Donahue wrote on Twitter minutes after reports of shots fired that “There is NO Active Shooter at Dupont Circle,” a neighborhood in northwest D.C. 

.@CapitalPrideDC #PrideDc #DCPride – There is NO Active Shooter at Dupont Circle. There are injuries from people running from what they thought were gunshots. But there is NO ACTIVE SHOOTER at Dupont Circle. @DCPoliceDept @DC_HSEMA

— Deputy Mayor Donahue (@SafeDC) June 9, 2019

But unconfirmed reports of a shooting sent crowds running through the streets, according to The Washington Post.

A law enforcement source told the Post that there was a report of a fight in the circle.{mosads}

Eyewitnesses said something that appeared to be a gun was brandished during the altercation, according to the law enforcement source.

D.C. Police Commander Guillermo Rivera said Saturday that an adult male was arrested for alleged handgun possession, local outlet NBC 4 reported. 

“There is no evidence that any shots were fired,” Rivera said.

Police confirmed to NBC 4 that a gun was recovered from a backpack in Dupont Circle, but said the gun was never “brandished” and no threats were made. D.C. Police told the outlet that they are questioning one person and the weapon is being processed.

People began running “from what they thought were gunshots,” leading some to suffer injuries, Donahue tweeted.

Rivera said seven people were injured in the panic, according to the NBC4.

Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted that she had been briefed by D.C. police, writing that there were no shots fired and “no active threat.” Bowser added that emergency medical personnel were on the scene to treat injuries.  

I have been briefed by @DCPoliceDept Chief Newsham about the incident at #CapitalPride. @dcfireems is on the scene to treat minor injuries / due to reports of a shooting. There were no shots fired, and there is no active threat.@DCPoliceDept will provide further updates. https://t.co/ngLLbHVzKV

— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) June 9, 2019

D.C. Fire and EMS told NBC 4 that they were called to the Dupont area following reports of several injured people.

The Hill has reached out to D.C. Police for comment.  

Updated 9:58 p.m.