Audience confuses medical emergency in stampede at 'Hamilton' performance

Audience confuses medical emergency in stampede at ‘Hamilton’ performance

By Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Chaos broke out during a performance of the musical “Hamilton” at San Francisco’s Orpheum theater after audience members mistook a medical emergency for a shooting.

City Fire Department spokesman Jonathan Baxter said a woman had a heart attack during the Friday night performance and someone broke open an emergency defibrillator, activating an alarm as theatrical gunfire went off during the show’s duel scene.

Three people were injured as panicked audience members rushed out of the theater. One person broke a leg and two others had moderate injuries.

The woman who had a heart attack remained hospitalized Saturday in critical condition.

A message to theater spokesman Scott Kane hasn’t been returned.

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