At least 8 children among 22 hit by gunfire at end of Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade; 1 person killed
Terrified fans ran for cover and another high-profile public event was marred by violence as one person was killed and at least 21 others were wounded by gunfire, including eight children, at the end of Wednesday’s parade to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, authorities said. A radio station identified the person who was killed as one of its DJs.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves detailed the shooting’s toll at a news conference and said three people had been taken into custody. Police did not immediately release details about the people taken into custody or about a possible motive for the shootings. Graves said firearms had been recovered, but did not disclose what kind of weapons were used.
“There’s a lot of work ahead. This is just the beginning stages,” she said. “All of that is being actively investigated.”
Social media users posted shocking video. One showed someone apparently performing chest compressions on a shooting victim as another person, seemingly writhing in pain, lay on the ground nearby. People screamed in the background.
In another video, two onlookers chased down and tackled someone, holding that person down until two police officers arrived.
Radio station KKFI said in a Facebook post Wednesday evening that DJ Lisa Lopez, host of “Taste of Tejano,” was killed in the shooting.
“This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community,” the station said in a statement.
Police say the shooting that left one person dead and 22 others injured after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade appeared to stem from a dispute.
The shooting outside Union Station happened even though more than 800 police officers were in the building and around the area, including on top of nearby buildings, said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended with his wife and mother and had to run for cover when the 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 has long struggled with gun violence, and in 2020 it was among nine cities targeted by the U.S. Justice Department in an effort to crack down on violent crime. In 2023 the city matched a record with 182 homicides, most of which involved guns.
Lucas has joined with mayors across the country in calling for new laws to reduce gun violence, including mandating universal background checks.
Lisa Money of Kansas City, Kan., was trying to gather some confetti near the end of the parade when she heard somebody yell, “Down, down, everybody down!”
At first, Money said, she thought it might have been a joke, until she saw police jumping over the fence.
“I can’t believe it really happened. Who in their right mind would do something like this? This is supposed to be a day of celebration for everybody in the city and the surrounding area. And then you’ve got some idiot that wants to come along and do something like this,” she said.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce discussed the Super Bowl sideline incident between him and coach Andy Reid on his weekly podcast with brother Jason.
Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kan., 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.
University Health spokeswoman Nancy Lewis said the hospital was treating eight gunshot victims. Two were in critical condition and six were stable, she said. The hospital also was treating four people for other injuries resulting from the chaos after the shooting, Lewis said.
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.
St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City received one gunshot patient in critical condition and three walk-in patients with injuries that were not life-threatening, spokesperson Laurel Gifford said.
“When you have this many casualties, it’s going to get spread out among a lot of hospitals so that you don’t overwhelm any single ER,” she said.
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said he was with coach Andy Reid and other coaches and staff members, and the team was on buses and returning to Arrowhead Stadium.
Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson were at the parade during the gunfire but were unhurt. “Thanks to the professionalism of our security officers and first responders, Teresa and I and our staff are safe and secure,” Parson said in a statement.
Patrick Mahomes had to go overtime to win the Super Bowl MVP award against the 49ers, and has repeated as champion and won three titles with coach Andy Reid.
President Biden was briefed on the shooting and will continue to receive updates, a White House spokesperson said. White House officials have been in touch with state and local leaders, and federal law enforcement officers are on the scene supporting local law enforcement.
The Kansas City parade is the latest sports celebration in the U.S. marred by gun violence, following a shooting last year in downtown Denver after the Nuggets’ NBA championship victory that injured several people, and gunfire last year at a parking lot near the Texas Rangers’ World Series championship parade.
Associated Press writers Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa; Jim Salter in St. Louis; Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb.; Summer Ballentine in Columbia, Mo.; and John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., contributed to this report.
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