Teen Injured as Thousands Flood Times Square
Celebrations in New York City turned chaotic late Saturday after the New York Knicks secured a historic NBA Finals victory.
Thousands of fans poured into the streets of Midtown Manhattan after the Knicks won Game 5 of the finals. The victory sparked wild scenes near Times Square and Madison Square Garden.
Some fans chanted “Knicks in five” as they celebrated the team’s long-awaited success. The Knicks had not won an NBA title since 1973. This was only their third finals appearance since then, following defeats in 1994 and 1999.
The excitement soon became disorderly. Fireworks were set off in crowded streets. Smoke grenades were also used as fans moved through the area.
A New York police officer told Reuters that a 17-year-old was shot in the foot at around 2am during the celebrations in Times Square. Three persons of interest were taken into custody.
World Cup Shuttle Buses Attacked by Crowds
The chaos also affected World Cup shuttle buses operating in the city.
A convoy of around 15 buses had transported soccer fans from the first World Cup match in the New York City area. The game between Brazil and Morocco ended in a draw.
As the buses reached Times Square, crowds surrounded them. Some people climbed onto bus roofs. Others entered the vehicles and sat in the driving seats.
One yellow school bus hired by the city government to transport World Cup fans was set on fire. A Reuters video journalist witnessed the bus in flames.
It was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured in the fire. At least three other shuttle buses were badly damaged.
A bicycle was also dragged onto the roof of another bus. Some Brazil supporters joined Knicks fans on top of a bus and waved their national flag.
One man with a bleeding face was seen walking through the crowd, though the cause of his injury was not immediately known.
Police Move In After Hours of Disorder
Police initially held back as crowds continued celebrating across several streets. After nearly two hours, officers in riot gear moved in to clear the area.
Some streets were fenced off. Officers chased fans through parts of Midtown Manhattan. Mounted police were also used to push crowds away from Madison Square Garden.
The atmosphere was described as intense and overwhelming by people at the scene.
Carol Marino, a New York real estate agent, said the celebrations felt larger than New Year’s Eve. She had been watching the game in a bar before stepping outside.
Across the area, fans played drums, hugged each other, climbed scaffolding and scaled traffic lights.
New York couple Dean and Christina Smiros said they had supported the Knicks all their lives and were happy to witness the team’s victory for the first time.
But the night also raised serious safety concerns. What began as a major sporting celebration quickly turned into scenes of fire, injury, damaged vehicles and police action in the heart of Manhattan.
