Shocking footage shows desperate festival crowd trying to flee over fences after brawl and ‘gunshots’ at Caribbean music event outside shopping mall in Toronto
- A brawl broke out and shots were reportedly fired at the Sandz Toronto Caribbean Music Festival on Sunday
- Footage from the event showed attendees desperately try to flee the venue by climbing a fence and trying to pull it down to let others out
- The event was held at the Woodbine shopping mall in Rexdale district of Toronto
Dramatic footage from a Caribbean music festival in Toronto shows people clambering over fences as they try to flee from a massive brawl and reports of gunshots.
The Sandz Toronto Caribbean Music Festival began at 2pm on Sunday and was held in the parking lot of the Woodbine Shopping Center in Rexdale.
But by 7pm, a brawl had erupted at the event, and there were reports of shots being fired, according to tweets sent by Toronto police.
Thousands of attendees tried desperately to flee the festival, with videos posted on Instagram showing people pushing at a fence trying to get out.
The gate surrounding the venue leans dangerously from the force of people trying to escape.
A group of women can be seen getting shoved into the metal wires as others jump over the fence.
One person was taken to the hospital after being hit by an object during a brawl
People who’ve made it free begin to pull at the barrier, hoping to break through to create another exit for those still inside.
At 7.17pm, the Toronto Police Department posted an alarming tweet alerting followers of ‘multiple sounds of gunshots in parking lot’.
Toronto police spokesperson David Hopkinson later told CBC that officers found ‘one bullet, not a spent shell casing’.
But officers found no evidence of actual gunfire, and nobody was reported shot.
Cops also broke up a fight where a man was was struck on the head by a bottle.
Sandz Toronto Caribbean Music Festival ended early after a violent brawl and gunshots erupted
In a statement on their Instagram page, organizers said, ‘Sandz Toronto was planned to be an unforgettable and positive experience. It’s very unfortunate that the selfish and senseless altercation between a few patrons jeopardized the safety and well-being of many.’
They also confirm that there were no gun related injuries, but minor injuries related to crowd dispersing and broken glass.
‘Security & Safety of our patrons is a primary focus at all of our worldwide events, as all the directors of Sandz Caribbean Music Festival ensures the primary protection of our supporters who continue to make Sandz a worldwide success,’ organizers say.
People try to pry a locked gate open to make a new exit and let trapped attendees out
Some jumped the gate to safety to avoid the anxious crowd
Several people were trampled and some received medical attention at the scene
Local journalist Andrew Collins, who was at the scene, said 10 patients were assessed at the scene several people were trampled.
Daily Mail contacted the Toronto Police Department for comments.