Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka said she was “fearful” after being caught in a rush at the Barclays Center where fans were rushing to flee or seek shelter after false alarms of an outside shooting panicked.
The incident occurred at the stadium during a Showtime pay-per-view match between Gervonta Davis and Rolando Romero. Naomi Osaka attended the tournament where Davis won with a 6th round knockout. She was recently sent off in the first round of the French Open.
Several people have been taken to hospital, according to ESPN boxing writer Mike Coppinger.
Fans, reporters, and people who came to watch the game tried to evacuate as soon as possible. Osaka is also in chaos. The four-time Grand Slam champion has expressed his fear of the experience on social media.
At that terrifying moment as the crowd swarmed back into the Barclays Center, my fears were a gunfight, but those fears turned out to be unfounded. pic.twitter.com/pcBdfwWplt
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) May 29, 2022
“I was such a fucking bastard.”
Naomi Osaka tweeted at 1:42 a.m. on Sunday, “I was a very timid person. Then they heard that there were active snipers and they all gathered in one room and had to shut the door.
I’m tweeting this, so I sincerely hope everyone escapes safely.
— Naomi Osaka (@naomiosaka) May 29, 2022
A video circulating on social media after the shooting was reported showed spectators leaving the stadium after the fight was over. As news of the Uvalde school shooting remained fresh on their minds, panic-stricken event attendees resorted to shuddering. Fans assumed there was a shooter in the central square and rushed to shelters, but the NYPD has now disputed that all bullets were fired.
Many reporters present at the time published their own accounts of the incident. Reporter Ryan Sonaglia told The New York Post, “We’re used to arguing in boxing matches, but recent headlines and audience fears have made many of us fear that our worst fears might become a reality. “He said.
More video on the aftermath of Barclay’s Center #Barclay Center #davis romero #make them run away pic.twitter.com/dy41NTR3VB
— Thakidfrombk (@thakidfrombk) May 29, 2022
Many others shared their descriptions of the incident on social media, and one individual wrote, “Everyone at @barclayscenter panicked.” “I was lying on the floor for about 20 minutes and my knees are bleeding.”
everyone’s @barclayscenter I was perplexed. After lying on the floor for about 20 minutes, blood was dripping from both knees. Thank you brother for getting out safely.
— amanjotkaur (@amaniix3) May 29, 2022
The United States came to the wrong conclusion as it continued to worry about two recent mass shootings at a school in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas.
