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Backfiring Motorcycle Caused Panic, Thought as Gunshots

  • A backfiring motorcycle caused mass panic in New York City.

  • The popping sounds were mistaken for gunshots.

  • The crowd stampeded, causing 22 injuries.

With a nation on edge after three mass shootings in the space of one week, a backfiring motorcycle causes mass panic in New York City, United States of America.

The panic also interrupted and ended the Broadway play “To Kill a Mockingbird” in the Schubert Theatre. The crowd had attempted to flee the play, resulting in a stampede which injured 22 people.

New York Police Department said a group of motorcycles were passing by when one of them backfired. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio also issued a statement via his Twitter account that, “Times Square is safe and secure. The noises heard earlier were motorcycles backfiring, not gunshots.”

One person said, “We just hear ‘pop’, ‘pop’, ‘pop’, and thought that somebody just came in and started shooting people.”

Another said, “It’s a shame the climate of America is like this.”

The mass shootings have occurred at public events. The last three shootings at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Arianna Grande’s Manchester concert and Route 91 Harvest Festival left 58 dead and another 489 wounded. Punk band Blink-182 was forced to cancel their concert in El Paso after a gunman opened fire in a Walmart Supercentre, killing 20 over the weekend.

Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. He has since worked in the motorcycle and automotive industry for many years, before taking up riding courses and testing many, many motorcycles since becoming a motojournalist. Wahid likes to see things differently. What can you say about a guy who sees a road safety message in AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

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