Bullets ripped through crowds of spectators following a Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade attended by tens of thousands Wednesday, killing one and injuring at least 21 others in the nation's latest shooting assault at a major sports or concert venue.
Kansas City, Missouri, police confirmed shots were fired west of Union Station at around 2 p.m. local time. Interim Fire Chief Ross Grundyson said at a news conference that 22 people suffered gunshot wounds, including one fatality, eight with immediately life-threatening injuries, seven with life-threatening injuries, and six with minor injuries.
Several people near the parade route were carried away on stretchers.
Lisa Augustine, spokesperson for Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said the hospital was treating 12 patients from the rally, including 11 children, some of whom suffered gunshot wounds.
Some of the Chiefs' players spoke at the rally but were not in the line of fire when shots rang out. A team official said players and coaches were not injured and were on buses leaving the area.
More than 800 law enforcement officers were providing security for the parade route, Graves said. Several hundred thousand people had been expected to attend the parade celebrating the Chiefs' championship victory Sunday.
Witnesses recount chaos when gunfire broke out
Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kansas, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers and then people running. After that initial flurry, calm returned, and he didn’t think much of it. But he said 10 minutes later, ambulances started showing up.
“It sucks that someone had to ruin the celebration, but we are in a big city,” Sanders said.
Ofilio Martinez, 48, said he heard shots fired a couple blocks away about 10 or 15 minutes before the gunfire near the Union Station rally.
“This is making me nervous, scared,” he said.
Gunfire
broke out less than half an hour after Chiefs fans concluded their
parade in celebration of the Super Bowl victory. The rally was scheduled
to end at Union Station with speeches by players and coaches.
President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland were briefed on the shooting. Biden said late Wednesday night that the shooting stirs deep emotion because of its ties to a Super Bowl celebration and he asked people to "make your voice heard in Congress." He said the end goal is to ban assault weapons, to limit high-capacity magazines, strengthen background checks, and keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them.
"The Super Bowl is the most unifying event in America," Biden said. "Nothing brings more of us together. And the celebration of a Super Bowl win is a moment that brings a joy that can’t be matched to the winning team and their supporters. For this joy to be turned to tragedy today in Kansas City cuts deep in the American soul."
Agents for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the parade and assisting local police, the Justice Department said in a statement.
Shootings at victory rallies are not unheard of in recent years. After the Denver Nuggets’ championship parade last year, a shooting took place in downtown Denver that injured two people, though police said they didn’t believe the incident was associated with the actual celebration. Also last year, an argument resulted in shots being fired at a parking lot near the Texas Rangers’ World Series championship parade. Nobody was injured.
State officials 'out of harm's way' after attending parade
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he was at the parade with first lady Teresa Parson when shots were fired, but they had safely evacuated.
“State law enforcement personnel are assisting local authorities in response efforts,” Gov. Parson said in a social media post. “As we wait to learn more, our hearts go out to the victims.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was also at the rally but posted an update that she was safe.
“At the end of the Chiefs rally, shots were fired near Union Station. I have been evacuated and am out of harm's way. I encourage everyone to follow instructions and updates from @kcpolice. Please stay safe,” Kelly said on X, formerly Twitter.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas attended the parade with his wife and mother and had to run for cover when gunfire broke out.
“I think that’s something that all of us who are parents, who are just regular people living each day, have to decide what we wish to do about,” Lucas said. “Parades, rallies, schools, movies. It seems like almost nothing is safe.
Kansas City was in high spirits before parade
Fans in Kansas City got to experience yet another parade celebrating the Super Bowl champions. This year, Tara Bennett said it was more special as she and her friends cheered the team on throughout the season and defended their title as Super Bowl Champions.
"It was exciting and so much fun seeing the players coming down and having fun with people with their family celebrating the city," Bennett, a Kansas City resident, said. "It was beautiful today and we kept taking layers off because it was warm with the sun beating down."
That was ripped away when she saw news about a possible shooting spread as she and her friend walked toward their car. Their fears were confirmed when they turned on the radio.
I am heartbroken for the community of Kansas City, the victims and their families, and frankly for all Americans. We should not have to live in daily fear of being shot and killed at parades, at school, or anywhere,” Brown said. “Gun violence is preventable and we have the solutions. We must be resolved to end this deadly epidemic and free America from gun violence.”
Hillary Schieve, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and mayor of Reno, Nevada, joined the chorus of voices on Wednesday calling on Capitol Hill to take action.
“Again and again, year after year, we are forced to ask: what will it take for this nation to do something about the easy access to guns in our country? And what will it take for Congress to address this senseless violence that is plaguing far too many American communities?” Schieve said.
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Just moments before the shooting, Mahomes and his teammates had been soaking up the adulation from a sea of red-shirted fans.
There had been no hint of trouble as hundreds of thousands of partying supporters feted Chiefs players along a two-mile (three-kilometer) route in a procession of double-decker buses, enveloped by a blizzard of red and gold confetti.
Local officials said more than one million people were expected for the parade, which was held in unseasonably sunny, warm conditions in downtown Kansas City.
Gun violence is not uncommon at large-scale sporting victory celebrations in North America.
Last year, 10 people were wounded after a shooting which erupted in Denver amid fans celebrating the Denver Nuggets’ NBA championship
Everytown,
Mom Demand Action and Students Demand Action said in a Wednesday news
release the Super Bowl victory parade should've been "pure joy" but
became a tragedy for a community. MDA Executive Director Angela
Ferrell-Zabala said in the release the shooting is a marker for
politicians to roll back gun laws. Read More Continue
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