FALSE ALARM

‘March for Our Lives’ Gathering On National Mall Derailed By Active Shooter Scare

Attendees began sprinting in all directions after one individual was believed to have yelled, “I have a gun,” during a moment of silence.

An active shooter scare derailed a ‘March for Our Lives’ gathering on the National Mall Saturday afternoon.

U.S. Park Police officers responded to the calls of a potential active shooter and moments later took a man into custody.

At 1:38 p.m., march-goers began running as the main-stage speaker at the time, Erica Ford, with the group New York City Crisis Management System, began yelling: “Do not run! Freeze! Do not run!”

“There is no issue here! Do not run!” the speaker continued.

Shortly after the scare, a man was taken into custody. “False alarm,” a U.S. Park Police officer told The Daily Beast.

A witness, Jose Marroquin, and his family told The Daily Beast they began running after the crowd, thought there was an active shooter.

“People just dropped [to the ground],” he said of attendees in the front of the crowd nearest to the stage. “Someone yelled gun.”

Another two witnesses, Jake and Virgil — who gave witness statements to the US Park Police — told The Daily Beast there was a man down in front of the crowd, during the moment of silence, who attendees thought yelled: “I have a gun!”

Following the incident, the two witnesses believe the man potentially yelled: “I am God!”

Organizers of the gun violence prevention rally claim that 40,000 attendees showed up to Saturday’s event, all while rain hit the nation’s capital.

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Zachary PetrizzoFormer Politics Reporter

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