A call to Seaside Heights police Saturday evening reported what could be a terrible scenario for the town: gunfire on the boardwalk, on a holiday weekend, at 8:15 p.m.
People and police responded as expected. Crowds ran from the boards, racing down the exit ramps onto the streets in a panic, as officers raced to the oceanfront on foot and in cars, guns drawn and trying to find gunmen or victims.
Many people pulled out their cell phones and captured the frantic early moments, like this one and this one and this one. One person filming, apparently amused at the chaos, ran alongside an officer with a rifle at the ready. (Warning, some social media clips contain vulgar language.)
Police never found any evidence at the boardwalk that anybody actually shot a gun, nor gunshot injuries, much less any injuries, spokesman Detective Steve Korman said Sunday.
Korman, who was a responding officer, said the initial report was gunfire on Sheridan Avenue, then police checked out a report on Kearney Avenue and officers checked several other areas of the boardwalk before concluding no shooting occurred. A cadre of plainclothes officers was already on scene, due to the expected crowds, Korman added
After giving the all clear signal, a very typical Saturday evening occurred on the boardwalk, just like before the gunfire reports, Korman said.
The police department will investigate what led to the report that turned out to be false, Korman said. The town already has a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for anyone under the age of 18, which was enacted after the incident.
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Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com
