911 calls reveal chaos during false active aggressor report at Kentucky Expo Center

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The 911 calls from a moment of chaos inside the Kentucky Expo Center last weekend have been released.

A false alarm Sunday afternoon sent people running for the exits believing shots were being fired.

The Louisville Metro Police Department posted on social media just after 3:30 p.m. July 13 that there was a report of an "active aggressor" at Kentucky Kingdom and the fairgrounds. Dozens of officers responded to the area, and the police helicopter began circling the area overheard. The nearby Kentucky Kingdom amusement park also was evacuated.

Kentucky Venues, which operates the Expo Center, said in a statement Monday that the fire alarm system made "audible alerts" inside that were set off by a duct smoke sensor. LMPD later agreed with that conclusion, calling their previous statement, that the loud noise was caused by a ceiling tile falling on a metal chair, "not accurate."

The 911 calls released Friday paint a picture of the panic those at the Expo Center experienced.

In one exchange, a 911 operator tells a caller they were getting multiple calls to the Expo Center.

Operator: "What's your emergency?"

Caller: "Hi, we don't know what's going on. We're at the Exposition Center in Kentucky."

Operator: "OK, did you hear anybody shooting?"

Caller: "No. No, there was an alarm and then everyone just started running."

Operator: "OK, it looks like we've got multiple calls. We're getting help out there, OK?"

Caller: "OK, what do we do?"

Operator: "If you can get out, just get out."

Caller: "OK, we're all out."

Other calls reveal the fear and panic some felt, not knowing what was going on.

Caller: "Someone yelled 'gun' and we all ran out of here, heard screams outside."

Caller: "Everybody's running and saying there's an active shooter ... (we're) locked in a bathroom."

Caller: Please come now. They know we're in here, hiding in a bathroom. Please hurry, please hurry."

The audio also shows some people ran out of the Expo Center, while some hid in bathrooms and called for help..

The crowds inside the Expo Center were there for the Run 4 Roses basketball tournaments, a series of national girls' events billed as the largest gathering of its kind in the world.

Earlier this week, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said when the malfunctioning alarm went off, someone in the crowd yelled there was a shooter.

Police, who estimated 40,000 people were on the fairgrounds between the two venues, reported no violence at either site after their investigation.

Run 4 Roses officials posted on social media at 4:40 p.m. Sunday that all games were halted for the day.

Previous Coverage:

Police, fairground officials say smoke sensor alarm caused 'mass panic' at Kentucky Expo Center

Run 4 Roses to resume Monday with tighter security — some teams, coaches withdraw after scare

Run 4 Roses won't resume Sunday after false active aggressor report at Kentucky Expo Center

Louisville police say no victims found after report of active aggressor at Kentucky Expo Center