Scary moments at Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas Saturday night

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - For some festival goers on Saturday night, fans reported being trampled and shaken up after false reports of a shooting near the music festival.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said shortly after 10 p.m. May 14, gunfire was reportedly heard near the Lovers & Friends Festival. Police said this caused a “large group” of attendees to leave the venue. Police said three people were injured and were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The false report sent a wave of panic through some parts of the crowd.

Amber Cook was standing by a barricade near the exit when she saw a wave of people come rushing toward her. Cook’s boyfriend grabbed her and put her on the other side of the barricade. That barricade eventually went completely down.

“We start running and as you’re running you’re looking around- you can see people on the ground and getting stepped on,” Cook said.

She was able to exit the venue unscathed but others had visible injuries.

“People were cut up, bloody, and bruised. So even though there was never an actual shooter, people still got hurt,” Cook said.

A friend of her was bartending and during the commotion upwards of 20 tip jars were taken. Another friend of hers was at the Route 91 festival and shutdown with PTSD.

“Instead of being able to run she just hid behind a trashcan,” Cook said.

Through Twitter one festival goer said described his experience: “Overall the festival was going great until whatever caused the panic happened. We were slammed into the barricades on the far right of GA just next to VIP. Everyone was screaming and pushing. Some people were ducking like they were avoiding something. I threw my girlfriend over the barricade and then I hopped over after her. We had no idea what was going on but we weren’t waiting to find out.”

Aside from what many are referring to as “traumatic” experience, Cook said the start of the festival was not well organized.

Cook said security did not check in her fanny pack and her boyfriend got through without ever getting his ticket scanned.

“I want you to check me – I want you to check everybody. And if I can get through security without you even opening my bag and then not even scanning somebody’s ticket that’s a problem for me,” Cook said.

She also mentioned water that was available to attendees came out as hot.

A FOX5 Photojournalist attended the festival Saturday. He said his experience was quite different. From what he observed, cold water was available at several stands.

FOX5 reached out to the promotions company of the event, Goldenvoice for comment.

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