Twitter rumours of a gunman at Oxford Street spread panic in the capital yesterday, but the claims were false.
It all started when @candicecbailey who works for Asos tweeted:
“Street style shooting in Oxford Circus for ASOS and Diet Coke. Let me know if you’re around!!”
Celebrities make big bucks on Twitter promos
Oral sex promised to Twitter followers
And soon one thing led to another. Seven minutes later HannaLisaGreen wrote: “Gun alert on oxford circus right now? Is it true.”
Like a Chinese whisper, the gossip soon took off.
“Is there a shooting in Oxford Circus right now???? This is what I’m hearing,“ gpcrc tweeted.
It wasn’t long before Twitter users stopped to even question the event and told people to stay away from the area.
Jameswarfield tweeted: “Shooting in progress in Oxford Circus, stay safe people”.
Katieraby continued: “Has been told to stay in the office as there is a shooting in Oxford Circus… the sirens have gone past so is it true…?”
And soon one fabricated gunman turned into several.
HannahLisaGreen said: @lucytobin Hey have you heard there is apparently a shooting near Oxford circus? Several gunmen have been reported.”
Finally things came to an end when Tom Rayner announcced: “Just spoke to the Met Police re twitter reports of a shooting incident in Oxford Circus- they say there is no incident, and nothing going on.”
This was confirmed by Rosielovesme: “I’ve just been to oxford circus where this shooting is supposed to have been, not 30 seconds ago, and it all looks perfectly normal.”
And so, 15 minutes after the first tweet of a possible ‘gun alert’, the rumour came to an end.
And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the power or Twitter!
