By Sam Farmer
Los Angeles Times
LAS VEGAS — A loud noise caused by a falling partition -- a sound people mistook for gunshots -- triggered a stampede at the MGM Grand Hotel after the Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana fight Saturday night, leading to dozens of injuries.
An estimated 50 people were treated for injuries at the scene, according to the Las Vegas Sun, which quoted a representative of the Clark County Fire Department who said 24 people were transported to local hospitals.
According to a statement released by the county’s public information department, firefighters responded to an emergency call at 10:45 p.m. Saturday reporting gunshots outside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which is attached to the hotel. The statement, according to the Sun, said firefighters were called to respond to a gunshot victim near the food court on the walkway leading to the Grand Garden.
There was no gunshot victim, according to the statement, and “it was later determined that some sort of wall or partition near the Starbucks in the food court fell over, causing a loud bang. This occurred when the crowd from the Mayweather fight [was] leaving the Grand Garden Arena. The loud bang caused a panic, and multiple people were knocked down and trampled during the panic.”
In the confusion, officials said, hundreds of panicked fans pushed their way into the large media room, where the post-fight news conference took place, and others sought shelter in the public restrooms.
The majority of the people transported to hospitals were treated for minor injuries such as cuts, sprains and strains, many injuries associated with being stepped on, a Clark County spokesman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.