Terrifying moment a stampede breaks out at Baltimore Pride event after 'chemical agent' is fired into crowd
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A Baltimore Pride event was thrown into chaos on Saturday after a 'chemical agent' was fired into the crowd causing a stampede.
Revellers at the Baltimore Pride Block Party reported a 'chemical agent', possibly Mace or hairspray, being released into the crowd around 8:37pm on Saturday night, the Baltimore Banner reported.
The release and the ensuing chaos led to the end of headliner Saucy Santana's performance and the event being swiftly shut down.
Fireworks were also set off at the same location, near the event's main stage at North Avenue and Charles Street, which contributed to the panic, Baltimore Police said in a statement.
Police have not yet determined what the chemical was nor who was responsible for disseminating it.
![A Baltimore Pride event was thrown into chaos after a 'chemical agent' was fired into the crowd](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/07/86196411-13536375-A_Baltimore_Pride_event_was_thrown_into_chaos_after_a_chemical_a-a-44_1718604687731.jpg)
A Baltimore Pride event was thrown into chaos after a 'chemical agent' was fired into the crowd
Footage from the event showed attendees racing for the exits and screaming as the chemical agent was thrown.
The police said in a statement that after the event was shut down, the fire department was 'tending to several injuries from the mass exodus.'
No further information was made available about the number or severity of injuries.
However, a police spokesperson confirmed there was no information 'to support that this was a targeted attack.'
The event's organizers, Pride Center of Maryland, said they understood the chemical to have been Mace set off by 'a group of youths.'
'Today, our security force is paying particular attention to what Pride celebrants bring in with them' the non-profit's executive director Cleo Manago told the Banner.
One witness from the event, Kate Bowers, added to the outlet: 'All of the sudden, people were screaming and running. It was like a bomb went off. The air was so thick.
'People were throwing up. People were pouring water in each other's eyes. There was a little kid in a stroller.
'They were pouring water in the child's eyes' she added.
The release of a chemical agent at Baltimore Pride caused a stampede. Several people are injured.
pic.twitter.com/VpBjrlFQSa— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 16, 2024
![The incident led to the end of headliner Saucy Santana's performance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/07/86196407-13536375-The_incident_led_to_the_end_of_headliner_Saucy_Santana_s_perform-a-43_1718604687730.jpg)
The incident led to the end of headliner Saucy Santana's performance
![The Pride Center of Maryland event was swiftly shut down](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/07/86196701-13536375-The_Pride_Center_of_Maryland_event_was_swiftly_shut_down-m-45_1718605121039.jpg)
The Pride Center of Maryland event was swiftly shut down
![Police confirmed there was no information 'to support that this was a targeted attack'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/06/17/07/86196699-13536375-Police_confirmed_there_was_no_information_to_support_that_this_w-a-41_1718604687714.jpg)
Police confirmed there was no information 'to support that this was a targeted attack'
Bowers told the outlet a low-flying police helicopter hovered over the crowd blaring the message: 'stay calm, the situation is under control.'
'I'm not sure I've quite processed it yet. It was such an abrupt, drastic thing. Waking up this morning. The magnitude of what could have happened hit me' she added.