On Monday, Oct. 9, members of the Jewish community gathered in Turlington Plaza for a candlelight vigil in support of Israel.
At 8:55 p.m. an attendant fainted, which led to others asking for someone to call 911. The call was misunderstood by the crowd, which dispersed in a panic.
University of Florida Police officers in the area immediately secured the scene and escorted the crowd away from the area.
"We have no reason to believe that there was malicious intent behind this incident," said UFPD Chief Linda Stump-Kurnick. "It was an accident that was misinterpreted by the crowd that led to panic."
At least five people were injured during the crowd rush. They were treated for minor injuries on scene by the Gainesville Fire Rescue Department and the Gator Emergency Medical Response Unit who were pre-staged at the event.
The Alachua County Sheriff's Office and the Gainesville Police Department responded to the area to assist.
Attendees who left the area without their belongings were escorted by police to retrieve their items. Those who were unable to retrieve their items Monday night may do so at the UF Public Safety building at 1555 Museum Road on Tuesday.
