A brawl at a Dallas national cheerleading competition on Saturday afternoon sparked panic and sent thousands of teens and parents fleeing the venue, police said. The chaos unfolded around 1 p.m. at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center during the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) championship.
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The Dallas Police Department said a fight between two individuals led to multiple poles being knocked down. The loud noise from the fallen equipment contributed to panic inside the building, triggering a stampede as people rushed to exit the convention center.
"Multiple life-threatening injuries occurred during the chaos," the police department said on social media. "No shooting occurred." Despite the absence of a shooter, the fear of an active shooter prompted a widespread evacuation, with thousands of cheerleaders, coaches, and parents running out into the streets. Video footage from Fox affiliate KDFW-TV showed the chaotic scenes.
"It was pandemonium," witness David Crawford told KDFW. "Everyone running in all directions."
Cheerleading Event Goes On
Autumn Holub, a 14-year-old cheerleader, described the terrifying moments as she was swept up in the stampede. "I got pushed into a corner," she recalled. "I fell, my knees hurting, my hands are hurting. I thought I was going to pass out. I had no clue what I was doing."
Witnesses described scenes of screaming, crying, and frantic movement. Holub said the sound of sirens only heightened the panic. "The sirens were terrifying," she said.
Dallas police rushed to the scene, and the adjacent Omni Hotel was evacuated as a precaution. Varsity Brands, which sponsors NCA events, said in a statement that the competition was halted for the day.
"This incident stemmed from an altercation between two attendees and led to confusion and several injuries," a Varsity Brands representative said. "Thankfully, none of those were life-threatening."
The statement went on to confirm that the competition resumed Sunday morning, with athletes expected to compete through the evening. The organization thanked everyone involved for their support and commended the Dallas emergency response teams for their efforts.
Despite the tense start to the weekend, the event moved forward, and the NCA championship was able to continue after safety measures were taken.
