Crowds fled in horror in New York’s iconic Times Square after fears of gunshots. Eyewitness footage captured the moment that tourists and residents sprinted for their lives in abject panic.

The alarm took place at approximately 10pm local time Tuesday night in one of the city’s busiest intersections, just days after the US witnessed three mass shootings in a week.

People fleeing and hiding from #timessquare after suspected live shooter #NewYork we caught this from our hotel bar 10th floor #police confirmed this was not a live shooter #timessquare#NYCpic.twitter.com/IKfagFbtzy — The Daniels Group (@DanielsGrp) August 7, 2019

The NYPD was quick to urge calm and declare the event a false alarm, confirming that it was actually a motorcycle backfiring which may have sounded like gunshots.

There is no #ActiveShooter in #TimesSquare. Motorcycles backfiring while passing through sounded like gun shots. We are recieving multiple 911 calls. Please don’t panic. The Times Square area is very safe! @NYPDnews@NYPDTimesSquare — NYPD Midtown North (@NYPDMTN) August 7, 2019

Tensions remain high across the US following a spate of high-profile mass shootings in quick succession.

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