Knicks Fans Torch Bus, Teen Shot During Championship Celebrations

A bus carrying World Cup fans was set ablaze, and a teenager suffered a gunshot wound in Midtown Manhattan, as thousands of basketball enthusiasts flooded the streets to celebrate the New York Knicks' first championship in 53 years.

Amidst the celebrations, hundreds of predominantly young people converged on Times Square around a convoy of approximately 15 buses. These buses were transporting Brazil and Morocco supporters returning from the first match of the 2026 World Cup in New York. Some fans climbed onto the bus roofs, then entered the vehicles and sat in the driver's seats. One of the yellow school buses was even set on fire, according to a Reuters video reporter, though it was unclear if anyone was injured.

Following the triumph, some fans set off fireworks and threw smoke bombs, chanting "Knicks in five!" (referring to a 4-1 series victory in the finals).

Around 2:00 AM local time, a 17-year-old boy was shot in the leg during the festivities, a law enforcement official told Reuters. The official added that three suspects had been arrested.

"They're expressing their joy a bit roughly, but that's how it is. This happens everywhere in the world when a team wins," said Youssef Sabir, a 49-year-old Canadian of Moroccan descent, who had exited one of the buses before it was surrounded by the throngs of basketball fans.