Panic at Ohio Mall as Ramadan Festival Descends Into Madness After Teens Go Wild, Fight, ‘Gun’ Shout Sparks Stampede

A late-night Ramadan celebration at an Ohio shopping mall descended into chaos after a fight broke out, triggering panic among hundreds of festivalgoers who feared a gunman was on the scene.

The Suhoor festival, held at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing in Columbus, was abruptly shut down in the early hours of Sunday morning after people were seen running and screaming through the venue at around 12:30am.

Shocking videos posted to social media show crowds sprinting in all directions as fear rippled through the mall during the pre-dawn gathering, which was intended to mark Suhoor, the meal eaten before sunrise during Ramadan.

Social media influencer bmuse2k, who was just feet away from the disturbance, said the panic began after someone in the crowd shouted the word “gun,” setting off what he described as a stampede.

“The person yelled out gun, and it caused a stampede of people to freak out,” he said. “It just sparked a whole crowd of people to start sprinting. It just caused chaos.”

Another witness, vendor Omar Masri, who was selling clothing from his Masri Apparel brand, shared frantic posts online as he searched for his brother amid the confusion.

According to bmuse2k, the incident began when a group of teenagers started fighting near the restroom area of the mall.

“They just started attacking, this one dude in the corner by the bathroom,” he said. “They were just all attacking each other and just fighting.”

Columbus police confirmed they received multiple 911 calls reporting possible gunfire and claims that someone had been shot. Officers rushed to the scene, prompting a heavy police presence inside the mall. However, authorities later determined that no shots had been fired and no one had been injured. One juvenile was detained in connection with the altercation.

“I’m glad no one got shot,” bmuse2k said afterward. “There were a lot of kids obviously lost from their parents because everybody was running. It was a complete stampede, which was crazy.”

Event organizers later addressed the incident in a statement posted to the Ohio Suhoor Festival’s Instagram page, saying the Marib Suhoor Festival was intended to be a “community-centered Ramadan gathering” focused on families, local businesses, and a safe environment.

The statement confirmed that “an altercation occurred between a group of teenage individuals in the hallway near the restroom area,” adding that police “responded immediately and began dispersing those involved.” As crowds were redirected away from the area, organizers said movement into the food court led to further disruption and escalation.

Organizers stressed that officers and vendors on site did not see or hear any firearms and confirmed that no injuries were reported. Despite this, police made the decision to shut down the event as a precautionary measure in the interest of public safety.

Attendees were escorted out of the mall while officers secured the premises. Organizers apologized for the disruption and said they do not condone violence of any kind.

Despite the chaotic scenes, the group announced plans to move forward with another gathering on March 14, describing it as the first Suhoor festival in the United States exclusively for women and families.