Camouflaged Dance Troop Chased by FBI Through NYC Tunnel

WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (The Blaze/AP) — A dance troupe from Jacksonville, Florida caused a rush-hour terror scare when they ditched their cars in the Lincoln Tunnel and tried to run to a TV appearance in Manhattan while wearing their camouflage costumes.

The dancers drove about 1,000 miles so they could appear Wednesday on BET's live "106 & Park" show. But they hit traffic at the tunnel, which connects New Jersey and New York City and is just two miles from the TV studio.

The five young women and three young men decided to sprint the rest of the way. They left their adult chaperones behind and ran through the toll plaza.

Armed officers with Port Authority police and the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force gave chase, closing the tunnel for 45 minutes.

They eventually offered to escort the dancers to the show, but the producers told them it was too late.

"I was boo-hoo crying," Eternity Odom, 16, a member of the Jacksonville step group Ladies of Envy, said yesterday about the harrowing experience.

Odom, who also runs track, said that by the time the cops caught up to her she could see the lights of Manhattan. She said cops forced her to her knees and drew guns on the others.

"I knew we were in trouble," Odom added.

She and the troupe headed back to Jacksonville, Fla. after the incident. It was assumed they drove.

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Information from: The Jersey Journal, https://www.nj.com/jjournal

Information from: New York Post, https://www.nypost.com