Sask. cheerleaders safe after stampede breaks out at Texas cheer competition

Rebels Cheerleading Athletics. (Photo source: rca.showdown Instagram page)

Three Saskatchewan all-star cheerleading teams and their families are safe following mass chaos caused by reports of an active shooter at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-Star National Championship in Dallas, Texas on Saturday.

The Dallas Police Department said officers responded to an active shooter call at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center around 1 p.m. According to the preliminary investigation, a fight broke out between two people, which resulted in multiple poles being knocked down.

“The loud noise contributed to panic inside the building, prompting people to rush outside in a stampede,” police said in a post on social media. “There were multiple non-life-threatening injuries during the chaos.”

The police department said no shooting occurred, and a family reunification center was set up nearby.

Three Saskatchewan cheerleading clubs are at the prestigious event, including two teams from Prairie Fire Cheerleading (PFC) in Saskatoon, and one team each from Regina’s Rebels Cheerleading Athletics and Warman Ultimate Cheer.

According to a social media post, all Saskatchewan teams are safe.

The two teams from PFC were set to compete Saturday afternoon. In a post on social media, the club says “they are all safe and together. Code Red and Fever will not be competing today.”

In a statement posted on social media, Varsity Competitions said their plan is to resume competition on Sunday with enhanced security measures. Teams have the option to complete the competition if they choose to do so. There is no word yet on what the Saskatchewan teams have decided.

NCA is one of the biggest cheerleading competitions in the world, with over 1700 teams participating this year.