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Unfounded reports of shots spur panic at JFK International Airport

Passengers line up to pass through security before boarding flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in 2014. Police responded Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, to reports of gunshots at the airport.
Passengers line up to pass through security before boarding flights at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York in 2014. Police responded Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, to reports of gunshots at the airport. Associated Press, file

Reports of shots fired at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport appear to be unfounded.

Port Authority police say they have not found any firearms, rounds of ammunition, shell casings or other evidence of gunfire.

Police evacuated Terminal 8 as a precaution after receiving reports of shots fired near the departures area around 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

The New York Police Department was called in to assist.

No one was injured.

A short time later, police closed Terminal 1 after they say they received additional reports of shots fired in that terminal. An expressway approaching the airport also was shut down.

According to the flight tracking company, FlightAware, all inbound flights were being held at their origin until 11:30 p.m. due to security.

This story was originally published August 14, 2016 at 10:23 PM with the headline "Unfounded reports of shots spur panic at JFK International Airport."

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