(Video courtesy NBC Washington) Kevin Donahue, D.C.’s deputy mayor for Public Safety, said no one was hurt after loud bangs, likely from fireworks, set off a panic inside Union Station on Sunday afternoon. According to a number of social media posts, many people mistook the noise for gunshots and rushed toward the train station’s exits or hid inside stores in the shopping concourse. Donahue’s post on Twitter confirmed there was no shooter and there were no gunshot victims.
A short while ago, people heard loud bangs inside Union Station & fled the building. @DCPoliceDept & @dcfireems immediately responded. • There is no active shooter • There are no gunshot wound victims • Appears that the loud bangs were fireworks being set off
— Deputy Mayor Donahue (@SafeDC) July 7, 2019
WTOP’s news partner NBC Washington reported D.C. fire officials said the chaos triggered medical issues for three people. Medics treated them at the scene. One person inside the station used Twitter to report what he saw going on, saying, “thank god it wasn’t worse.” Another Twitter user captured a video of police cars rushing through the traffic circle in front of the station.
When arriving to Union Station D.C., we saw people running out the doors and first responders arriving. We were told that there were some shots fired inside the building, to later learn that somebody set out some fireworks. Video is from D.C. police arriving to the scene pic.twitter.com/RgazwOwI6e
— Julian J Nunez (@JulianJNunez) July 7, 2019