TORONTO — Frantic Raptors fans bolted from a square in downtown Toronto after police said they were investigating reports of shots fired at a massive rally celebrating the team’s historic NBA championship win.
The festivities, which were briefly suspended, carried on even as dozens of fans ran in several directions at the south end of the square.
Some in the crowd said they had not heard any shots but rushed from the area as others panicked.
One 25-year-old woman said she had been watching the speeches at the rally when friends pushed her to the side.
“We started ducking,” she said. “We got stampeded.”
Others huddled near pillars in Nathan Phillips Square even as the team and several dignitaries — including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — remained on stage.
Supporters had spent several hours at the square waiting for the team to arrive in a victory parade that began this morning.
(The Canadian Press)