(SQAUK) – A large fight among teenagers at Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami on New Year’s night sparked panic, confusion, and bizarre rumors of ‘shadow aliens’ invading the area.
According to the City of Miami Police, the incident began around 8 p.m., when a group of about 50 juveniles started fighting and throwing objects at each other. The police responded to the scene and dispersed the crowd, arresting four individuals for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. No injuries or property damage were reported.
However, as the police presence increased, some social media users began to speculate that there was more to the story than a simple brawl. They claimed that the police were there to deal with ‘8-10 feet tall shadow aliens’ that had appeared at the shopping mall entrance. They cited a video that allegedly showed a significant and dark figure standing among the crowd, as well as other videos that showed people running and screaming.
The rumors quickly went viral, with thousands of tweets and posts using the hashtags #MiamiMall and #AliensInMiami. Some users expressed fear and curiosity, while others made jokes and memes. Some celebrities, such as William Shatner, commented on the situation, adding to the hype.
The City of Miami Police, however, denied the rumors of ‘shadow aliens,’ saying that they were false and baseless. Officer Michael Vega, a spokesperson for the police, said that the video that supposedly showed an alien was a distorted image of a police officer wearing a helmet and a vest. He said that the police were only there to handle the fight among the teenagers and that there was no evidence of any extraterrestrial activity.
“There were no aliens, UFOs, or ETs. No airports were closed, and there were no power outages. It was just a fight that got out of hand,” Vega said. We don’t know who started the rumors, but they are not true. We urge the public not to believe everything they see online and to check the facts before spreading misinformation.”
Vega also said that the police were investigating the source and motive of the rumors and that they could face legal consequences for creating a public disturbance and a false alarm.
The Bayside Marketplace, a popular tourist destination with shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues, also said that the incident was isolated and quickly resolved and that the mall was safe and open for business.
“We apologize for any inconvenience or concern that this incident may have caused to our customers and visitors. We want to assure everyone that Bayside Marketplace is a secure and family-friendly place, and that we are working closely with the police to prevent any future incidents,” the statement said.
The rumors of ‘shadow aliens’ at Bayside Marketplace are the latest example of how social media can spread misinformation and conspiracy theories, primarily related to aliens and UFOs. In recent years, there has been a growing interest and debate over the existence and nature of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), as the US government and other countries have released official reports and videos on the subject. However, experts warn that not all claims and evidence are credible or verifiable and that some people may have ulterior motives or agendas for spreading false or misleading information.
