10 injured during Saturday’s NCA All-Star National Championship in Downtown Dallas
After a fight at the NCA All-Star National Championship on Saturday caused chaos, the competition resumed on Sunday. FOX 4’s Amelia Jones talked to families about their decision to compete.
DALLAS – Dallas Police say during the evacuation of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Saturday, 10 people were injured.
Police say a fight at the convention center knocked over multiple poles, causing panic at the NCA All-Star National Championship.
After the chaos on Saturday, the competition resumed on Sunday.
Extra police and security were outside the convention center in Downtwon Dallas on Sunday, a reminder of the incident the day before.
Organizers told FOX 4 that all performances that were canceled on Saturday were able to be rescheduled for Sunday.
Some teams decided not to compete after the scare.
What they’re saying:
Danielle Garvin and her daughter’s team from Ohio were inside their team room when reports of gunshots spread through the area.
Garvin says the team came together and decided to compete Sunday.
“I was a little nervous. I thought I was doing good, and then we got here, and it was just take a deep breath and let’s do this for our kids,” said Garvin.
Some parents hope this experience leads to changes in security for these large-scale competitions.
Thousands of cheerleaders and their families experienced a chaotic scene at the Downtown Dallas convention center this weekend. People ran out during the competition, fearful that there was an active shooter.
“This isn’t just Dallas. These large convention centers don’t have security, no bag checks, so we’re hoping, unfortunately, we might have to use this as a lesson learned and just hope they up security,” said Candice, a cheer mom from St. Louis.
Tiana Cody and her daughter stayed in the arena and hunkered down until they were evacuated on Saturday. Cody told her daughter it was her decision if she performed on Sunday.
“She didn’t feel pressured, I didn’t feel pressured, and it felt like a community, and I appreciate having that community,” Cody said. “Cheer is more than bows, glitter and fun. It’s a culture and the culture of cheer is that they are resilient, and they can withstand.”
Dallas police are investigating a Saturday incident that happened near Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and the Omni Hotel in Downtown Dallas. Video sent to FOX 4 shows crowds running from the area.
What we know:
Police officials say all 10 people injured were taken to four different hospitals in the area. None of the injuries were life-threatening. The injuries range from bumps and bruises to broken bones.
Related
The convention center in Downtown Dallas is hosting the NCA All-Star National Championship this weekend.
The backstory:
Two people knocked over “multiple poles” during a fight, causing a loud noise and panic inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Saturday afternoon, Dallas police said.
In a statement, Dallas police said the noise of the poles being knocked down caused a panic inside the building and people to start rushing outside “in a stampede.”
Authorities said no shooting occurred.
The incident prompted the National Cheerleaders Association to cancel the rest of Saturday’s event.
What we don’t know:
FOX 4 has asked Dallas Police if anyone will face charges in connection to the fight that led to the investigation.
Police said no arrests have been made, but did not say if the people involved have been identified.
The incident is under investigation.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas Police Department and the National Cheerleaders Association.
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NCA continues at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
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Cheer competition evacuated after fight among parents, not a shooting, led to massive police response at Dallas convention center
DALLAS — The annual NCA All-Star National Championship resumed Sunday, a day after police said a fight among parents led to panic in Downtown Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
Dallas police responded to the convention center about a possible shooting, police later confirmed Saturday afternoon on X that there was not an active shooter and that no shots were fired.
DPD’s investigation determined that a fight between two people led to multiple poles being knocked down, which caused a loud noise.This noise contributed to panic inside the building, prompting people to rush outside in a stampede, DPD said.
According to Dallas police, there were multiple non-life-threatening injuries during the chaos. People were seen running across the streets of downtown away from the convention center, which is only a couple blocks away from WFAA.
“Parents were crying, coaches were super scared. One of my coaches actually had to go to the hospital. She got trampled,” said Cheerleader Ally Wells.
Dallas police said no one reported seeing anyone with a gun, and no shell casings were found at the convention center.
No arrests have been made relating to the incident, DPD said in a Monday statement.
There were social media posts claiming there was a bullet hole in a window at the contention center. Dallas police told WFAA that the hole was already there and not yet repaired after a police report was filed last year about it.
DPD did say that if anyone has picture or video proof of someone with a weapon at the convention center, to call police immediately.
“At this point, we all know we’re safe. There was nothing to be scared of,” said Cheer mom Kirin Wells.
DPD said in a Monday statement that they found no evidence that a shooting occurred.
“The Dallas Police Department is aware of the social media posts regarding damage to the glass at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center. This damage was previously investigated as criminal mischief and was documented in 2019. At this time, we have found no evidence that a shooting occurred on Saturday, March 1, 2025. The investigation is ongoing, and we continue to review video footage.”
The competition resumed at 8 a.m. Sunday, “with athletes and our crowd in good spirits,” Varsity Brands, who run the NCA cheer competition, said in a statement.
Varsity Spirit President Bill Seely issued a statement to families, athletes, coaches and spectators, reassuring them that event safety and security remains of paramount importance.
“We maintain a strong security presence at our events that include uniformed and plain clothes officers, and we work closely with local police, fire and rescue officials to ensure emergency response plans are in place,” Seely said in the statement. “The cheer community is strong. Together, we will continue to rally behind these incredible athletes and give them a platform to showcase their talents.”
The NCA cheer event has drawn thousands of cheerleaders and their families to Downtown Dallas. Sunday morning, several families and athletes attending the competition elected not to return, according to several families attending the event.
Varsity Brands issued the following statement Saturday afternoon.
“Earlier today, The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center was evacuated as a precaution based on reports of a safety concern. NCA security officials immediately began working with the Dallas Police Department to quickly investigate, which found that the incident was triggered by an altercation between two attendees, which led to panic and multiple non-life-threatening injuries in the aftermath. We want to thank the Dallas Police Department for their help assessing and controlling the situation as well as the first responders who assisted those impacted.
As a precaution, we suspended activities for today and will continue to work with event staff and local authorities to ensure a safe environment for our athletes to finish competing when we resume tomorrow.”
Hours after the convention center evacuation, families huddled outside, waiting to re-enter and grab the things they left behind in the chaos.
Dallas police say no shooting at cheerleading competition; fight led to panic at convention center
Dallas police say no shooting at cheerleading competition; fight led to panic at convention center
A fight at the downtown Dallas convention center where the National Cheerleaders Association All-Star Championship is being held this weekend caused loud noises that led to panic and injuries today, officials said.
The Dallas Police Department responded to an “incident” at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center around 1 p.m. local time and determined no shooting had occurred. Police said two people had gotten into a fight, which caused multiple poles to fall, creating loud noises in the building.
The loud noises led to “panic,” the police department said, prompting people in attendance to “rush outside in a stampede.”
Police evacuated the building as a precaution, the department said, and shut down the cheer event for the day.
It will resume tomorrow, said a spokesperson for Varsity Brands, of which the NCA is a part.
Ten people were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from bumps and bruises to fractured extremities, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
The NCA All-Star Championship is expected to bring more than 58,000 people to the area through the weekend, more than 30,000 of them cheerleaders from 43 states and nine countries, according to the cheerleading organization.
Ten people were taken to hospitals after the chaos that ensued at the Dallas convention center today, said Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans.
The injuries ranged from bumps and bruises to fractured extremities, he said, and all occurred during the evacuation. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
Rebecca Cohen
People who left belongings in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center can return to pick up their things tonight from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Small groups will be allowed in at the same time and staff will escort people to the places where they left their items, the convention center said.
Any items not retrieved today will be put in a lost and found and can be picked up tomorrow.
The National Cheerleaders Association All-Star Championship will resume tomorrow, Brian Bianco, a spokesperson for Varsity Brands, said in a statement.
The NCA is a part of Varsity Brands in its Varsity Spirit division.
“As a precaution, we suspended activities for today and will continue to work with event staff and local authorities to ensure a safe environment for our athletes to finish competing when we resume tomorrow,” the statement said.
There was no shooting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center today, the Dallas Police Department said in a statement.
Police responded to the convention center at around 1 p.m. and found that two people had gotten into a fight, which led to multiple poles being knocked down, causing a loud noise in the building.
“This noise contributed to panic inside the building, prompting people to rush outside in a stampede,” police said. “There were multiple non-life-threatening injuries during the chaos.”
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where the cheer competition was being held, has been evacuated “as a precaution,” according to police.
Police said they “suspended activities for today” and will work with event staff to “ensure a safe environment when we resume the event.”
Security officials at the event are working with police to investigate the reports of safety concerns.
Matt Lavietes
Reporting from New York, NY
Dallas police said there was no active shooter at the cheerleading competition.
“We can confirm that there was no active shooter at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center,” the department said in a statement on X. “More information will follow when it becomes available.”
Matt Lavietes
Reporting from New York, NY
Dallas police said in a statement on X that they’ve relocated a designated family reunification center to 400 N Lamar St.
Matt Lavietes
Reporting from New York, NY
Crowds of young girls in cheerleading uniforms are seen moving away from the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in downtown Dallas.
Screams of young children could be heard in the background amid police sirens.
Matt Lavietes
Reporting from New York City
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is hosting the National Cheerleaders Association All-Star Championship this weekend.
The competition is expected to draw more than 58,000 people to the Dallas-Fort Worth area this weekend. More than 30,000 of them are cheerleaders from 43 states and nine countries, according to the cheerleading organization.
Matt Lavietes
The Dallas Police Department urged people to avoid the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where a cheerleading competition is taking place this weekend.
“Dallas Police are investigating an incident near the Omni Hotel and Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center,” the department said in a statement on X. “Please avoid this area.”
The department added that a family reunification center has been established at its headquarters.
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