Crowds Sent Running After Shots Fired At State Fair Meadowlands In New Jersey
EAST RUTERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- New Jersey police said they've arrested a man for firing shots at the opening night of the state fair at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
No one was hurt, but the shooting sent crowds into a panic.
Witnesses say they heard two loud bangs at around 11:35 p.m. Thursday.
As CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported, the sounds sent people running off rides and rushing to find a way out to safety as children being pushed in strollers, kids and their families were enjoying the fair.
Michael Rosero was there with his family, soon enough they were running with the crowd.
"We heard a gunshot," he said. "We thought that it was perhaps a balloon going off and saw a mass of people running towards us."
"Everyone started running in multiple directions, people jumping over fences, falling off, families being separated. It was really a chaotic and scary experience," Rosero added.
"I've seen a lot of running, everyone screaming, 'they're fighting, they're shooting," another witness said.
"It was panic. Everybody was running, people was falling. It was a whole riot," another woman said. "I stayed inside the bathroom by the porta-potties."
State police say no one was hurt, but multiple people were taken into custody. No charges have been filed yet.
The investigation is ongoing.
Plain clothes police officers were back at the fairgrounds Friday morning searching for evidence.
Fair organizers were assuring customers that security would be blending into the crowd when the fair reopened Friday.
"There's 25 state troopers, there's 35 security staff, we definitely take security seriously here and always have," fair director Michele Tartaglione said.
Fair organizers will also meet with state police to discuss increasing security.
