Multiple People Injured During Panic at Hamilton Performance in San Francisco
A mass panic interrupted a performance of Hamilton at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on Friday night, after a medical emergency was mistaken for an active shooter.
According to the San Francisco Fire Department, an adult in the audience had a medical emergency during the show around 9:51 p.m PST.
Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a representative for the fire department, confirmed to PEOPLE that a woman suffered a heart attack. Baxter added that a defibrillator was pulled off a wall at the theater to aid the woman, which then caused the fire alarm to go off. She was taken to the hospital and listed in critical condition on Friday night, the department said.
The confusion from the alarm resulted in “an unorganized rapid exit of the theater,” the department said on Friday. Authorities initially reported that three audience members were injured during the stampede — two with “moderate” injuries and one with a broken leg. All three individuals were taken to the hospital.
Baxter told PEOPLE on Saturday that one additional person was found to have been injured after their initial report.
WFLA reported that the confusion may have been because the medical emergency came at the same time as a duel scene in the musical in which gunfire can be heard.
***BREAKING*** 1/3 At 2151 HRs An adult had a medical emergency at the Orpheum Theater An AED was pulled which also triggered an alarm during the Hamilton Play. This resulted is confusion, and an un-organized rapid exit of the theater. During this process, 3 additional adults -
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT (@SFFDPIO) February 16, 2019
***BREAKING*** 3/3 currently , the theater is repopulating. All 4 adults have been taken to area hospitals. The original patient who required an AED had a return of pulses with CPR and paramedic and remains in critical condition.
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT (@SFFDPIO) February 16, 2019
During a medical event at the SHN Orpheum Theatre this evening an audience member activated the theater's fire pull station. The audience and cast followed the life/safety system's automatic announcement and exited the theater.
— SHN: Broadway in San Francisco (@shnsf) February 16, 2019
Videos posted on social media showed the extent of the chaos and confusion that occurred at the performance. “Hamilton cast walking back to the theater after the crowd panicked as they mistook a medical emergency for an active shooter,” one observer wrote on Instagram, sharing a video of people applauding the cast as they walked back inside.
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A post shared by Sam (@sam1sf) on Feb 15, 2019 at 10:37pm PST
Journalist Joe Khalil added that the crowd was “running for the exits and ducking for cover” and that “shouts of ‘gun’ could be heard” while another user said the scene was “pandemonium.”
Police outside responded quickly. Thankfully there was no gun, no shooter. It was however a scary few minutes. Many many people here are visibly shaken. Crowds were running for the exits and ducking for cover @FOX40 pic.twitter.com/3MSrxNOOmG
— Joe Khalil (@JoeKhalilTV) February 16, 2019
Hamilton at Orpheum ended in pandemonium. Medical emergency led to screaming, which led to others shouting “gun”. Mass evacuation (hundreds of people stampeding) and police in force. Absolutely nuts. pic.twitter.com/52N65TxTSR
— Tim Goetz (@timpgoetz) February 16, 2019
SHN: Broadway in San Francisco, the theater company in charge of Friday’s performance, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.