A teenager was shot and buses destroyed during chaotic scenes in New York City that marred jubilant celebrations for the Knicks' historic NBA championship win.
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 94–90 in game five on Saturday to clinch the title for the first time in more than half a century.
The game was in Texas, but New Yorkers took to their hometown streets in droves to toast the milestone for fans and the city.
As crowds swelled into the early hours, gunfire rang out near Times Square, a 17-year-old was wounded and school buses that had transported World Cup fans were torched. It is unclear if anyone was hurt in that incident.
Knicks owner James Dolan had called for restraint following his team's victory against the Spurs in San Antonio on Saturday night saying they need to tell everybody in New York that they know that they're celebrating, they want them to have a great time.
Dolan, interrupting Knicks player Josh Hart's news conference said please be safe, don't get hurt, don't hurt anybody.
But celebrations turned violent as fans spilling out of bars and viewing parties clashed with officers in Midtown Manhattan.
In a statement the NYPD said crowds became "increasingly destructive" with "many incidents of incredibly reckless and dangerous behaviour".
Five yellow school buses were set alight or destroyed with bats and people jumping on them.
They had been used to shuttle World Cup football fans back to Times Square following a match between Brazil and Morocco.
Revellers were photographed swarming and climbing on to the roofs of the buses, with some also getting inside the vehicles and posing for photos.
Bystanders gathered around one of the buses, some taking pictures and videos, as it was engulfed in flames.
Source: BBC
