JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Clay County children’s cheerleading team is safe after a fight during a national cheerleading competition in Dallas caused panic Saturday afternoon, prompting authorities to evacuate the convention center and suspend the event for the day.

The Dallas Police Department said around 1 p.m., officers responded to a call at the Key Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center regarding an active shooter. Investigators determined that a fight between two people at the event knocked down multiple poles, which caused a loud noise. 

The National Cheerleaders Association All-Star Championship, one of the largest cheer competitions in the world, was happening at the convention center.

“This noise contributed to panic inside the building, prompting people to rush outside in a stampede,” police said.

The building was evacuated as a precaution, and authorities set up a family reunification center.

Many social media users expressed concern about a possible shooting, which police quickly shut down, saying there were no shots fired.

Officials said while there was no shooting, there were multiple non-life-threatening injuries that occurred “during the chaos.”

Jonathan Pol, the owner and founder of Island All-Stars Main in Fleming Island, told First Coast News that all 141 of his athletes who attended the event were safe.

He recalled seeing a stampede of people running after hearing what many believed were gunshots.

“We just started grabbing our kids and running and hiding,” Pol said, adding that his staff has training for situations like this. “It was a scary situation, but I’m proud of my staff and our families.”

Pol said it took around three hours to get every child accounted for and back with their families.

He told First Coast News Saturday evening that he was unsure whether his athletes were going to continue in the competition when it resumes Sunday. Now, Pol said he is focused on making sure his group is OK.

“Competing might just not be in the cards for the rest of the weekend,” Pol said.

The group arrived for the competition on Wednesday, and the finals were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

While he hopes his teams will be able to compete as planned, Pol said, “no trophy is more important than life.”

The NCA All-Star Championship was expected to bring more than 58,000 people to the city, with more than 30,000 cheerleaders from 43 states and nine counties, according to the organization.