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Olly Murs hints at Black Friday terror scare cover-up and insists someone had a gun

Singer was ridiculed and criticised in equal measure for posting a panic-stricken tweet in the midst of a London terror scare

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Monday 09 April 2018 10:17 BST
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Oxford Circus Incident: What happened?

Olly Murs is still talking about the terror scare in Oxford Circus last year and insists there was someone with a gun during the incident.

The 33-year-old pop singer was caught up in the panic after reports of an alleged terror attack which sent Black Friday shoppers fleeing from Oxford Circus Tube station on 24 November.

Murs, who was half a mile away, tweeted to his 8.4m followers: “F**k everyone get out of Selfridges now, gun shots! I’m inside.”

However police said there were “no casualties, evidence of any shots fired or any suspects located by officers”.

Murs was simultaneously mocked and criticised for his tweets, which were branded “irresponsible” by Piers Morgan.

Speaking to The Sun in a new interview, however, the former X Factor contestant stood by his original tweets and said: “I ran into an office after being told by the staff of Selfridges that someone was there with a gun.

“Something happened that day. Whether it was covered up, I don’t know.”

He elaborated: “There’s people screaming and running towards exits and I’m thinking, ‘What the f**k?’ I ran for my life thinking ‘Someone’s upstairs shooting’. The noise of people screaming, it was terrifying.”

Murs also claimed a woman hiding in an office with him said she saw a man shooting a gun in the beauty aisle: “Whether he shot someone or was shooting in the air – well, obviously he didn’t shoot anyone – but someone saw something.”

At 6.05pm on 24 November, British Transport Police said its officers had been stood down after finding no evidence of a terror attack.

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It was later reported that a fight between two men on a Tube platform at Oxford Circus had sparked panic, prompting a stampede that left 16 people injured.

He added that he continues to receive abuse over his reaction: “I get mocked every day on Twitter. Someone always has a little dig.

“Well, next time you’re in Selfridges and that happens to you, I’ll message you and say ‘How was that? How do you feel now? You’re not Mr Brave now are you?”

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