2 Incidents Of Balloons Popping Caused Shooter Scare At Boca Raton Mall

Boca Raton Police now say that two incidents of balloons popping are what led to panic at the Town Center Mall, not just one.

Investigators earlier this week revealed that a janitor popped a balloon when it got stuck under the wheel of his garbage cart on Sunday afternoon.

A review of surveillance video from a store at the mall shows kids popping a balloon about two minutes after the janitor's balloon popped. Nobody is being charged with a crime.

Both incidents happened near the food court and shoppers mistook the sounds for gunfire, which led to a run for the exits.

Emergency dispatchers answered around 150 calls from the mall that day, many of which were callers claiming they heard gunshots.

A 30-year old man hit his head on the push bar of a door while trying to get out and he is the only one taken to the hospital.

Police say their research shows that popped balloons have sparked active shooter scares in other areas of the country and say many sounds can be mistaken for gunfire.

Photo: CBS 12


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