New York, Nov 20(ANI): A camouflage-clad dance troupe trying to make it to a live TV talent show set off a rush-hour terror scare in New York when they dumped their cars in the Lincoln Tunnel and tried to sprint their way to BET's 'Wild on Wednesday' studio.
The Lincoln Tunnel is a 1.5-mile long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey, and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.
The group called 'Club Envy' had set out from Jacksonville when their trip hit a traffic snarl at the tunnel's New Jersey helix around 5.15 p.m. on Wednesday.
That's when seven performers and a manager leapt from their two-vehicle convoy and attempted to hoof it for the last five miles.
However, their luck ran out when alarmed Port Authority cops saw the youths in costumes, including camouflage-colored shorts and vests, and immediately called the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The group had almost reached the end of the tunnel and was on the Manhattan side, when they were stopped and detained by the force.
"They drew their guns on us at first," the New York Post quoted Landon Burse, the group's executive director, as saying.
"It was terrifying. I was crying," Eternity Odom, one of the four girls who perform in the group, added.
The tunnel was closed for nearly 45 minutes before the cops realized that the team was headed for taking part in the show.
They eventually offered them a police escort to make the show, but it was too late as the producers of the show told them not to bother.
"The lieutenant called the guy at BET and told him, 'Hey, I can clear the traffic to get these kids there quickly', but the guy from BET said, 'It's past 6 p.m. and we don't need them now'," Burse said.
A BET spokeswoman later insisted that they did not get a call until they were already supposed to be off the air.
"Unfortunately, the group could not participate in last night's show," Marcy Polanco said.
She said that the station was willing to reschedule another appearance for the performers. (ANI)
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