Following New York City’s Pride March on Sunday, violence and panic broke out near the historic Stonewall Inn and Washington Square Park, leaving two teenagers shot and more than 50 others injured.
Police responded to gunfire near the Stonewall Inn around 10:15 p.m., just blocks from the main Pride festivities. A 16-year-old girl remains in critical condition, and a 17-year-old girl is in stable condition. Both were hospitalized, and the NYPD has not yet confirmed whether the shooting was targeted or how many suspects may have been involved. No arrests have been made.
One witness described the scene as “complete pandemonium,” saying the packed crowd dove for cover as gunshots rang out.
Earlier in the evening, a separate incident caused widespread panic at nearby Washington Square Park. A man sprayed bear repellent into the crowd, triggering a stampede that injured dozens. Initial fears of gunfire spread rapidly through the crowd of over 10,000 people, though police later confirmed there were no shots fired at the park itself.
The suspect, described as shirtless, reportedly told police he believed he was about to be attacked and deployed the bear spray in self-defense. He was taken into custody at the scene.
Bystanders recounted the chaos and fear. “We all thought some fanatic with a gun was shooting people,” said one attendee. “There were thousands and thousands of people, and barricades made it hard to escape.” Another witness described the park as “a bottleneck,” with people tripping and screaming as they tried to flee.
Authorities are continuing to investigate both incidents. As of Monday morning, officials had not indicated any link between the shooting and the stampede.