One person was killed and at least 22 were injured at a rally after a parade Wednesday celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ win at the Super Bowl. Shots were fired near Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., where Chiefs players had addressed the fan rally. Video showed people running from the site and police entering the building.
The shooting stemmed from a dispute among “several” people and spilled into the crowd, police said in a news conference Thursday. Two of those in custody are minors. Police said the shooting had no connection to terrorism.
What happened
- Chiefs fans, draped in merchandise, waving signs and team flags, gathered Wednesday for a Super Bowl parade. It was followed by a rally where players addressed the crowd.
- Gunshots were heard about 2 p.m. at the end of the rally at Union Station, a historical landmark in the city, scattering parade-goers. First responders helped victims outside the building, videos show. Law enforcement estimated that roughly a million people were at or around the rally.
- About two dozen people were taken to hospitals for treatment. At least half of the victims are under 16. Their ages range from 8 to 47 years old. At least three people remain in critical condition.
- Police have taken three people into custody, officials said, two of whom are children. No charges had been filed as of late morning Thursday.
- All Chiefs players, coaches and staff members were accounted for and safe, said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.
Shooting victims
Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a radio DJ and host of “A Taste of Tejano” on Kansas City radio station KKFI, was killed in the shooting, Tommy Andrade, a family friend and co-host of the show, told The Washington Post. Andrade said Lopez-Galvan’s husband, Mike, informed him of her death. In a statement, the station called her death a “senseless act.”
Andrade described Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two, as a kind person with an infectious smile. “She treated everyone she knew and loved as close family. She will be missed,” he said.
Eight of those injured had immediately life-threatening injuries, and seven others had life-threatening injuries, Kansas City interim fire chief Ross Grundyson told reporters. Six others were considered to have minor injuries, he said.
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Children’s Mercy Hospital was treating 12 patients from the shooting, 11 of whom were children, a spokesman told The Post.
What is known so far
Police have taken three people into custody and recovered firearms but have not yet disclosed a motive. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said the shooting happened despite a heavy police presence because of “bad actors.” Hundreds of law enforcement officers were policing the parade, she said, which allowed for a quick response.
Law enforcement has asked anyone who might have video of the shooting or of alleged shooters fleeing the scene to submit it to an FBI portal as authorities work to investigate the motive.
Reactions
The shooting is the latest high-profile example of the entrenched problem of gun violence in the United States. President Biden said Wednesday that the shooting in Kansas City should “shock us” into acting to limit gun violence.
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Lucas, the Kansas City mayor, said he was “heartbroken.”
“This is difficult for our community,” Lucas said in a statement posted to social media. “We will continue to work hard to ensure assailants are brought to justice, our victims receive exceptional care, all families impacted receive our support and that we as a city and country do all we can to prevent tragedies like this from ever occurring again.”
Travis Kelce, the celebrated Chiefs tight end, also said he was “heartbroken” over the parade shooting. “My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me,” he said in a post on social media.
Des Bieler and Rachel Pannett contributed to this report.
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