50 Injured After Bear Spray Attack During Pride Sparks Stampede

What was meant to be a joyful, defiant celebration of LGBTQ+ identity turned into a scene of mass panic Sunday night, after a shirtless man unleashed bear spray during Pride festivities at Washington Square Park — triggering a stampede that injured more than 50 people and reignited concerns about safety at queer public gatherings.

The NYPD confirmed the suspect, whose name has not yet been released, was arrested at the scene. Witnesses described a harrowing few minutes in which screams, confusion, and rumors of gunfire swept through the crowd of roughly 10,000, sending waves of frightened attendees bolting toward barricaded exits.

“We all thought we were going to die,” said Omari Loftin, 20, who traveled from Washington Heights to attend the day-long celebration. “I saw a guy bleeding from his head, people flushing their eyes out. I’ve never run like that before.”

Loftin wasn’t alone. According to police and first responders, at least 50 people were treated for injuries related to the spray and the stampede. While none were life-threatening, the psychological scars from yet another Pride disrupted by violence are very real.

“It felt like Stonewall all over again — except this time we were running away, not standing our ground,” said Isaiah Whitehurst, 23, of Bedford-Stuyvesant. “We didn’t know what was happening, just that there was screaming, chaos, and we needed to move.”

What Triggered the Chaos?

Initial reports suggest the shirtless suspect claimed he acted in “self-defense,” allegedly fearing he was about to be attacked. But instead of seeking help, he reached for a can of bear mace — a chemical agent typically used to fend off grizzly bears — and sprayed it indiscriminately into the crowd.

As the chemical cloud spread, rumors of gunfire added fuel to the fire. Some claimed to hear popping sounds. Others just followed the panicked stampede. The timing couldn’t have been worse: thousands were still gathered near the iconic fountain as the official NYC Pride March had ended hours earlier.

“Everyone was dancing and celebrating — and then suddenly it was like someone flipped a switch,” said Angelique Ramos, a Queens resident who was filming a TikTok when the chaos began. “All I heard was people screaming ‘gun!’ and running. I just grabbed my friend and we ran.”

Recurring Fears Amid Celebration

Washington Square Park has long served as the symbolic final stop of the NYC Pride Parade. Each year, revelers gather in the historic green space — once a site of protest and now of liberation. But increasingly, that liberation feels fragile.

This isn’t the first time fear and confusion have gripped the post-march festivities. In 2022, fireworks mistaken for gunshots triggered a similar stampede. Last year, fights broke out sporadically, leading to more than 20 arrests throughout the day.

Sunday’s incident has only deepened concerns about how safe queer people really are in public — even in cities like New York, long considered a haven.

Hours after the bear spray incident, two people were shot just blocks away outside the Stonewall Inn, the very birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Police have not linked the two events, but the timing — on Pride’s biggest day — is chilling.

Community Reacts

“This wasn’t just one man with bear spray. This was another reminder that LGBTQ+ people are still targeted, still unsafe, and still treated like acceptable collateral,” said activist and drag performer Mx. Juno Voss, who left the park just 15 minutes before the incident. “This was a hate-adjacent act, even if it wasn’t motivated by hate.”

City officials have so far remained relatively quiet. As of Monday morning, no public statement had been issued by Mayor Eric Adams or the NYPD commissioner.

Still, local leaders are demanding answers. “We need real security planning for Pride, not just crowd control theater,” tweeted NYC Council Member Crystal Hudson. “Queer New Yorkers deserve more than barricades and prayers.”

Investigation Ongoing

The NYPD said an investigation is underway to determine whether the suspect had a prior criminal record or if the attack was premeditated. Sources told local outlets that the man appeared disoriented after being taken into custody.

Police are also reviewing footage from the park and interviewing witnesses. Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ organizations across the city are calling for a public safety summit to address what they see as a disturbing trend: Pride events becoming targets — of violence, chaos, and political indifference.