Athletes, coaches and spectators returned to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Sunday to resume the national competitive cheerleading event that was derailed the day before after police say a fight between two people triggered a frenzied evacuation.
The National Cheerleaders Association All-Star National Championship, a marquee three-day event celebrating its 30th year in Dallas, was interrupted Saturday afternoon after a loud noise sent attendees rushing toward the exits. The sound, later attributed by officials to the crash of poles knocked to the ground in the chaos, triggered what police described as a “stampede.”
At least 10 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries officials described as non-life-threatening, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson said, ranging from bruises and scrapes to “extremity fractures.”
Related:What we know about incident at NCA cheer competition Saturday at Kay Bailey Hutchison
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Organizers told attendees there would be “enhanced security measures” put in place Sunday for those who choose to compete.
“Although we understand some teams may decide to head home, we want to ensure you have the opportunity to compete [in] the competition if you choose so,” organizers wrote in a message to attendees.
A spokesperson for Varsity Brands, the organization running the competition, did not detail what the additional security measures were but said organizers were working with Dallas police.
A Dallas police spokesperson declined to detail what changes were made, saying it was not the department’s practice to release information about security measures.
Law enforcement officials told The Dallas Morning News the fight was between adults. Some people were injured in the hurry to escape, the officials told The News, but police confirmed there was no active shooter.
Police officials did not immediately provide additional details Sunday morning about the incident or clarify whether any arrests were made.
This year’s competition was expected to break attendance records, according to Varsity Brands, with more than 1,700 teams, 30,400 athletes and 3,700 coaches — all from 43 states and nine countries — coming to Dallas.
The event was projected to exceed the $64 million economic impact generated last year, according to Varsity Brands and the Dallas Sports Commission.
Some cheer groups opted against attending the event Sunday. Brian Bianco, the Varsity Brands spokesperson, said in a statement that some spectators and teams were reaching out regarding refunds.
“While we have adjusted our schedule to allow all teams to compete as intended, we know that today has been difficult for everyone,” Bianco said in the statement.
Video clips posted Saturday on social media showed cheerleaders halting their routines mid-performance, the music cutting off before they were hurried off stage. Other clips showed performers and spectators rushing outside the convention center, where swaths of people dashed across lawns, roadways, and parking lots.
Police set up a reunification center. Some cheer groups posted to their social media channels once their athletes were accounted for. Competition organizers and police allowed groups back into the convention center late Saturday to recover items left behind in the rush to evacuate.
“Our program went through something unimaginable,” reads a Facebook post from Upper Merion All Stars, a gym based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The group decided against returning to compete Sunday. “Please keep the entire cheer community in your thoughts.”
In a post to Threads, Justin Carrier, a Varsity Spirit executive overseeing the event, said organizers are working to ensure those who attend Sunday would have a good time.
“Going into today, our focus is to create NEW positive memories for these athletes–hopefully ones that will someday crowd out, eclipse or overshadow some of the memories they are gonna have to live with forever from yesterday,” Carrier said in the post.
Sunday marked the final day of scheduled performances and the last day the national competitive cheerleading event would be in Dallas for at least a few years.
Beginning next year, because of forthcoming renovations to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, the event will be held in the George R. Brown Convention Center and Toyota Center in Houston. The event will remain in Houston for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Staff writers Alex Nguyen and Kelli Smith contributed reporting.
