A loud booming sound was mistaken by thousands of fans who watched the Mayweather-Maidana fight as a gunshot. Immediately, throngs of people rushed towards the exit to form a stampede, leading to several injured. The incident happened on May 3, after Mayweather was declared the winner of the bout, Bleacher Report writes.
Eric Poleski, Clark County Fire Department battalion chief, said a temporary wall fell over and produced the loud sound. People assumed that gunshots were fired so they ran for cover. Many sports critics were quick to analyze the layout and safety guidelines exercised at MGM Grand.
Some fans and MGM Grand staff helped prevent further injuries by aiding those who collapsed and went close to being crushed by rushing fans. According to one viewer, there was nothing that could be done while the people were rushing. Even kids were getting hurt and tables were going at different directions.
On May 4, MGM Grand announced on Twitter that the situation was already under control and that injured fans were being treated. Fewer than 400 people were involved in the stampede. Around 24 were brought to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The most serious injury was a leg laceration.
MGM gave an official statement through a spokesman, as reported by Yahoo! Sports:
"Following Saturday's boxing event at the MGM Grand Garden, guests exiting the arena were apparently startled by a loud noise, sending many rushing to clear the area. The source of the noise remains undetermined. Investigators have found no evidence of gunfire, as reported by some media."
"Our staff continues to assist guests and take reports regarding the incident. Safety is always a priority at our resort. We are investigating the situation thoroughly to understand more completely what occurred, to assist those affected, and to ensure further safety precautions."
The MGM Grand further noted that it will be building a $350 million arena so the recent incident can spur its engineers and architects to come up with safer routes and exits should a similar or more serious situation happen in the future.