One official told NBC News the noise could have been cheering and banging from people watching the Olympics.
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Authorities received reports of gunshots at Terminal 8 at about 9:30 p.m., while similar reports prompted the closing of Terminal 1 at about 10:15 p.m., according to an e-mailed statement from the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey.
Demetrius Pipkin told WPIX-TV he was in Terminal 1 waiting for his Norwegian Airlines flight when passengers were “told to get on the floor and take cover behind any and everything we could find”.
Joe Pentangelo, a Port Authority spokesman, said in an email that reports of gunfire inside Terminal 8 began arriving around 9:30 p.m.
“There are no injuries”.
Port Authority police evacuated the terminal to be cautious, NY law enforcement official Joe Pentangelo told CNN.
Kennedy International Airport resumed operations early Monday after thousands were evacuated following a false report of gunshots in one of the terminals, according to local reports.
The authority confirmed all terminals had been searched and cleared, with “negative results”.
The airlines operating out of the Terminal 8 departure area include Alaska Airlines, Air Berlin, American Airlines, American Eagle, Finnair, LARAM, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian and LATAM.
The statement said no evidence has been uncovered so far of shots being fired at the scene, but the investigation is ongoing.
Images posted on social media showed scores of people standing outside Terminal 8.
He said that the gates at the security checkpoints were closed and that he saw armed policeman patrolling the terminal. But more than two hours later, there was no confirmation that a shooting had occurred.
A short time later, police closed Terminal 1 after they say they received additional reports of shots fired in that terminal.
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“About to land at JFK, but pilot suddenly announces flight diverted to Buffalo! JFK apparently “shut-down”. No idea why”, tweeted passenger Umang Dua.
