• Date & Time: March 1, 2025, around 1:00 PM
• Location/Hotel: Dallas, TX, USA – Omni Hotel (connected to Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center)
• Incident Type: Physical fight followed by a panic-induced stampede following false shooting report
• Weapon Used: Fists/hands/feet
• Cause/Motive: Fight between two attendees led to loud noise from falling poles, triggering panic
• Reported Perpetrator: Not disclosed (two individuals involved in the initial altercation)
• Reported Victim(s): Multiple people sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the stampede
• Injuries: Multiple non-life-threatening injuries due to crowd panic
• Damages: None reported from the event; prior glass damage in the venue was unrelated (documented in 2019)
• Police Action: Dallas Police responded to the incident, determined no shooting occurred, and continue reviewing footage as part of the ongoing investigation
• Reported Risk/Peril Impact on Guests: High
• Reported Risk/Peril Impact on Staff: Medium
• Reported Risk/Peril Impact on Property: Low
• Brief Risk Commentary: A false report of an active shooter at a major cheerleading event inside the Omni Hotel and adjacent convention center caused widespread panic and a stampede, resulting in multiple injuries. Although no shooting occurred, the event highlights the dangers of mass panic in crowded hotel-event spaces and the need for clear communication and emergency protocols.
• Source 1: Varsity Spirit President Releases Statement Addressing All-Star Nationals ‘Panic’ Over Reported Shooting– WHNT, March 4, 2025
• Source 2: Dallas Police Address Social Media Reports on Convention Center Bullet Holes – Dallas Police Department, March 4, 2025
