NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — Hundreds of people in Times Square panicked after they thought they heard gunshots Tuesday night. Videos on social media show crowds running, turning over tables and chairs, trying to escape. Six people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The source of the sound was a backfiring motorcycle.
After a tragic weekend where two mass shootings killed more than 30 people, it’s understandable why people would be on high alert. They heard a loud noise, didn’t think twice, and ran.
The NYPD immediately tweeted that there was no active shooter on the scene – clarifying that the sound was caused by a motorcycle. The tweet said that several people called 911 after hearing the sound.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio retweeted the post, saying Times Square is "safe and secure" but what that crowd felt “was all too real”.
What is a motorcycle backfire?
According to Motorcycle Habit, an online magazine, a backfire is a “loud pop or bang” that comes from the exhaust pipes when the motorcycle is running. Essentially, it’s a malfunction of the emission system when there is uncombusted fuel in the pipe.
It can happen if there is an exhaust leak or an incorrect amount of fuel. The fuel in the pipe is ignited by the heat of the exhaust and causes a loud popping noise, a noise that theatre-goers in New York City thought was an active shooter.
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