"I thought I heard someone yell 'shooter,' that's why I threw my nephew behind a counter and jumped over and they just had us hide in the storage closet because I had the kids," Renzi said. "The employees were so awesome they just had us hid there until it was safe to come out."</s>A Taser incident at Penn Station caused chaos at the terminal Friday night after police received false reports of shots being fired, according to officials and social media accounts.

A man was subdued by Amtrak police with a Taser inside the station and is now in police custody, Amtrak said in an emailed statement.Amtrak did not comment on why the man was subdued.

At around 6:30 p.m., the NYPD received numerous calls of shots fired in and around Penn Station, NYPD Chief of Manhattan South Bill Morris said in an evening news conference. Morris confirmed that the noise had come from the deployment of a Taser by Amtrak police: “There were no actual shots fired.”

The NYPD said the station was deemed safe again at 7:10 p.m.

Reports of a panic at the terminal quickly surfaced on social media, with one tweeted video showing people running and screaming at Penn Station, and others crouching and huddling together on the floor.

Michael Clark, 37, was inside Penn Station when he heard what he described as a fizzling sound akin to a sparkler, followed by a “massive stampede.”

“This pack of people ran out to the street,” Clark said, adding that he and everyone around him abandoned their luggage in the station.

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Sixteen people were injured as they tried to leave the station, FDNY Deputy Chief Tom Currao said during the news conference.

Erik McIntyre said he was waiting in the Amtrak area of Penn Station when a man bumped into him as he attempted to flee from Amtrak officers. The man pushed one of the officers and two more officers attempted to restrain him, according to McIntyre.

“He kept fighting back as the officers attempted to stop him,” McIntyre said in an emailed interview. “At one point they got pushed up against a pillar and that’s when the crowd noticed something was happening.”

The station was not evacuated and remains open, Amtrak said.</s>A stampede broke out at rush hour among crowds of waiting passengers at New York's Penn Station after false reports of gunfire at the country's busiest train station.

Amtrak police used a Taser on a man inside Pennsylvania Station late Friday afternoon, sparking chaos and mass hysteria among commuters who thought they heard a gunshot. The man and another individual were taken into custody for disobeying orders, according to the Amtrak Police Department.

Authorities confirmed there was no shooting during the incident.

Nevertheless, it caused a frenzy at a time when the station, which serves two commuter railways in addition to Amtrak, was more crowded than usual because of long delays caused by a disabled train in one of the Hudson River tunnels.

After the false rumor of an active shooter, thousands of people began running in every direction, leaving behind luggage, shoes and other personal belongings, footage shows.

The New York City Police Department said 16 people were treated with non-life threatening injuries after the incident, according to ABC-owned station WABC.

ABC News' Kenneth Moton and Benjamin Stein contributed to this report.</s>The multiple reports of an active shooter & shots fired in & around @Macys #HeraldSquare are UNFOUNDED at this time.@NYPDMTS — NYPDCounterterrorism (@NYPDCT) April 14, 2017

Amtrak police used a Taser on man inside Penn Station on Friday evening, causing a mass panic.The sound of the Taser caused mass panic and people started running out of Penn Station leaving luggage and shoes behind.Amtrak Police say that two people were taken into custody for disobeying orders.They used the Taser on one of the men during the incident.WATCH THE SUSPECT'S ARREST13 people suffered non-life threatening injuries.</s>People rushed out of Pennsylvania Station in New York City after cops reportedly tased a man and people suspected he was a potential shooter.

Amtrak police used a Taser on an unruly man and passengers falsely assumed he had a gun according to PIX 11. Two people were taken into custody for ignoring the officers' orders and one of them was tased.

No shots were fired in the busy station during the Friday rush hour. Many people left behind their belongings amid the chaos, littering the station with cellphones, suitcases and purses during the massive stampede at approximately 6.30pm.

The man was reportedly detained from the disabled New Jersey Transit train.

The popping sound of the Taser led some to believe there was gunfire. A few users on Twitter claimed someone shouted: 'Gun!'

Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted: 'No shots were fired at Penn Station this evening. FDNY is on scene treating injuries that were sustained during panic.'

People returned to the station to collect their belongings within the hour.

There were also false reports of shots fired at Macy's, which is just one block away from Penn Station.

Earlier, almost 1,200 Amtrak passengers were trapped in a Hudson River tunnel because of a short in the power supply. The trains were delayed 90 minutes just before the Easter weekend.

A rescue train had to be sent to push the stuck train into Penn Station according to Fox 5 New York.</s>Good Friday turned into a nightmare for many when a scary scene of chaos and disruption played out in New York’s Penn Station last evening. Thousands of frightened travelers created a stampede for the exits based on false reports of gunfire. In total, 16 individuals were injured due to the shocking incident that saw travelers falling over each other to run away from what they perceived to be gunshots.

In reality, the “shots” that caused the horrifying scene at Penn Station turned out to be the sound of a Taser going off. As representatives from the NYPD later reported, the stampede began with an agitated man that was located in the Amtrak waiting area.

The Amtrak police used a Taser to subdue the man and it was in this moment that the popping sound led people unfamiliar with the noise to believe that it was gunfire. The ensuing stampede caused immediate panic with scores of frightening screams echoing out. What followed was a crazed rush of travelers running for the exits and hiding on the ground behind anything they could, including luggage, trash cans, and kiosks.

One confused passenger interviewed by NBC 4 in New York described the disturbing stampede as “a herd of buffalo” who ran in a panic even though there was nowhere to go due to the overwhelming number of people.

The commuters that did manage to escape Penn Station took refuge at the nearby Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on West 34th Street, which went into lockdown to avoid what they believed was an active shooter on a deadly rampage.

Videos of the terrifying event quickly spread online detailing both the stampede and the aftermath that showed abandoned belongings thrown everywhere in sight and a cacophony of people on cell phones calling loved ones and crying out in shock.

As CNN reported, NYPD Chief William Morris confirmed that at no time were actual shots fired and that all injuries sustained in the stampede were not life-threatening. Additionally, both the NYPD and FDNY worked to quickly dispel the false alarms which caused dozens of terrified people to call 911 and report that there was a shooting at Penn Station.

The stampede at Penn Station capped off a night of overcrowding at the travel hub which serves over 600,000 train passengers every day. The problems began when a New Jersey Transit train carrying 1,200 passengers became trapped in the Hudson River tunnel due to Amtrak power issues.

The Hudson River tunnel is a major travel artery for New Jersey and New York commuters, so having it inaccessible for several hours caused backlogs at Penn Station at a time when people were heading home to begin their weekends. Having agitated passengers waiting on indefinitely delayed trains at the peak of rush hour and the stampede proved to be a recipe for a decidedly stress-filled evening.

These latest incidents come after months of troubling events for Penn Station. In addition to Friday’s stampede and the overcrowding issues, there was a major derailment involving New Jersey Transit in early April. That event caused eight tracks to be out of commission and led to an ongoing service disruption that lasted for days. Another derailment weeks prior highlighted an over-capacity and aging transit system and station where travel issues were becoming the norm.

The mounting incidents at Penn Station, which is the largest transit hub in the nation, are a big reason why many travelers avoid the station entirely. Indeed, as recent Yelp reviews illustrate, Penn Station is known by many for its foul odors, panhandlers, and expensive food court instead of efficient traveling.

One Yelp user named Eric A. described a disturbing incident at Penn Station involving a homeless person who harassed them.

“For whatever reason this station attracts the worst of humanity, I’m talking the unsavory and belligerent types of homeless people that leer at you as you try to avoid them. I was walking to my train just earlier today and this really creepy homeless guy practically ran up in front of me and demanded that I give him money. I politely said no and quickly moved away from him. As I walked away I could feel footsteps coming up behind me and when I glanced back, it was that very same man. He was following me. I then walked extremely quickly and moved towards a larger crowd of people. I stayed with those people and I then turned around to let him know I knew he was following me. He then moved away from me thankfully and moved on to harass other members of the public.”

This latest stampede incident at Penn Station shows that even the Amtrak waiting area, which has a waiting area that requires proof of ticket to enter, is not immune to security incidents that can spark fear and panic for commuters.</s>Massive crowds fled Penn Station Friday, resulting in a panicked stampede after Amtrak police used a Taser to subdue a suspect which terrified commuters mistook for a gunshot. Rumors of a shooter quickly spread, prompting the evacuation of Macy’s across the street.

Commuters packed into Penn Station on Good Friday for the Easter holiday weekend rush when mass hysteria broke out.

After the chaos dissipated, the halls of Penn Station were littered with bags and other items left behind in the confusion.

Rumors of a shooter spread quickly, causing the Macy’s across the street to evacuate.

The New York Fire Department (NYFD) said that 16 people were treated for “non life-threatening injuries” caused by the stampede.

At a press conference on Friday, Manhattan South Chief Bill Morris told WCBS, “Amtrak police had deployed a Taser,” which he said was “the likely source of the sound and the ensuing 911 calls."

Morris described how police received “several dozen” reports of shots fired “from Penn Station and on 34th Street from Seventh Avenue to Broadway.”

“All of those calls were determined to be unfounded,” Morris said, adding that they were able to “quickly review all of the 911 calls and determine that there were no actual shots fired.”

Morris said the area was determined to be safe by approximately 7:10pm.

The statements from the NYPD were later confirmed by the Mayor of New York City Bill De Blasio and the NYPD Counterterrorism Unit.

Amtrak and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) also confirmed that Amtrak police deployed a Taser and two people had been placed into custody for “disobeying orders at Penn Station.”

The incident followed a power outage that caused a New Jersey Transit train carrying around 1,200 passengers to become stuck under the Hudson River for several hours.

The disabled train finally arrived in Penn Station after three hours, where six passengers were treated by the FDNY for “non life-threatening injuries.”

One of the passengers allegedly became belligerent, and Amtrak police were forced to Taser the man, causing the stampede, according to WNBC.

"We were about to start to wrap up our operations when we saw the ensuing panic begin to start on the platform," FDNY Deputy Fire Chief Tom Currao said at the news conference.

Steven H. Santoro, the executive director of NJ Transit, issued an apology shortly after the incident, asking

“To our customers who were significantly delayed today on Northeast Corridor train #3850, and other customers who were impacted by this incident, we deeply apologize for your experience, and I would like to hear from you.”</s>People ran out of Penn Station on Friday evening in a chaotic scene sparked by what they thought was a gunshot.

Multiple law enforcement sources say Amtrak Police deployed a Taser to subdue and arrest an emotionally disturbed person on the Amtrak level.

NBC 4 News video shows police taking away a man in handcuffs. Amtrak Police said two people were taken into custody for disobeying orders at the station and that a Taser was used in one of the incidents.

Chaos After Reports of Man Tased at Penn Station

People thought the pop of the Taser was the pop of a gun and ran, some completely out of the station, leaving luggage, clothing and other belongings behind.

Clothing, food, books and even golf clubs and a cell phone littered the Amtrak area in the station moments after people fled.

Some people were crying as they left the station around 6:30 p.m. as others stood around in shock, witnesses said.

Tensions were already high at Penn Station after a NJ Transit train got stuck in a Hudson River tunnel, leading to cancellations and delays for NJ Transit, Amtrak and LIRR trains.

Rumors of an active shooter made their way to Macy’s, where people were seen fleeing out of the front of the store.

NYPD Counterterrorism tweeted that multiple reports of “shots fired” near Macy’s were unfounded.</s>Crowds fled a jam-packed Penn Station on Friday evening in a chaotic scene sparked by what people thought was a gunshot, but what turned out to be police using a Taser while making an arrest.

Tourists, commuters and New Yorkers alike were hiding behind garbage cans, diving behind pillars and leaving behind belongings as they scrambled to escape the calamity.

The FDNY said 16 people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries after the stampede.

At a press conference Friday night, the NYPD said police received dozens of calls to report shots fired at Penn Station. As NYPD officers responded, they learned that Amtrak police deployed a Taser to subdue and arrest an emotionally disturbed person on the Amtrak level.

NBC 4 News video shows police hauling away a man in handcuffs. Amtrak Police said two people were taken into custody for disobeying orders at the station and that a Taser was used in one of the incidents. Authorities have not said what led to the use of the Taser.

Tensions were already high at the busy station after a NJ Transit train got stuck in a Hudson River tunnel, leading to cancellations and delays for NJ Transit, Amtrak and LIRR trains.

That returned to Penn Station, where six people were treated for minor medical issues, officials said. As members of the FDNY were returning from the train they witnessed a wave of panic coming from the station.

Fear had spread through the Amtrak waiting area after police used the Taser. Some people thought the pop of the Taser was a gun. Others ran for their lives, unsure of what they were fleeing.

In the panic, people left bags and other belongings behind. Clothing, food, books and even golf clubs, phones and laptops littered the Amtrak area of the station moments after crowds fled. Other people tripped and fell as they scrambled for the exits.

"People were dropping luggage, kids, everybody was just running," one witness said. "Everybody was really scared. It was a stampede."

Some people were screaming, others crying, as they left the station. Those still inside the waiting area stood around in shock or relief as the mayhem began to subside.

Rumors of an active shooter made their way to Macy's, where people were seen fleeing out of the front of the store after hearing a loud bang.

NYPD Counterterrorism tweeted that multiple reports of "shots fired" near Macy's were unfounded.</s>16 people were injured when a stampede of terrified commuters rushed to escape Penn Station in New York City on Friday night following a false report of gunfire. The mayhem began when Amtrak police attempted to subdue a belligerent man in the station by shooting him with a taser. Bystanders mistook the popping sound of the taser for a gunshot and began to run away, which in turn triggered a chain reaction of panic throughout the station. Many in the crowd dropped their luggage and belongings as they fled, and some tripped and fell in the surge of people rushing to escape:

Others hid in stores or behind pillars or other objects inside the station:

Here is video of police subduing the man after firing the taser:

Penn Station was already crowded on account of massive delays caused by a stalled NJ Transit train.

The panic even spread to the nearby Macy’s department store, where additional false reports of a shooting led to an evacuation:

Eventually, police were able to defuse the chaos and restore order in the area. The FDNY said on Friday night that 16 people were ultimately treated for non-life-threatening injuries suffered during the stampede at Penn Station.
Amtrak Police taser a man at New York's Penn Station after the man allegedly became agitated due to a delayed train. Bystanders, falsely believing a shooting had occurred, caused a stampede, injuring more than a dozen people.