World Courant
One individual was killed and at the least fifteen had been injured, together with a number of youngsters, in a capturing on the finish of the commemoration parade. Tremendous Bowl victory by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, sending terrified followers working for canopy and one other high-profile public occasion marred with gun violence.
Kansas Metropolis Police Chief Stacey Graves introduced the toll of the capturing at a information convention and mentioned two folks had been in custody. She mentioned she has heard that followers could have been concerned within the arrest of a suspect, however she couldn’t instantly affirm that.
“I’m offended about what occurred as we speak. The individuals who got here to this celebration ought to anticipate a secure surroundings.” Graven mentioned. Police didn’t instantly launch particulars about these arrested or a doable motive for the capturing.
It’s the newest sports activities pageant within the US to be marred by gun violence, after a capturing final 12 months in downtown Denver after the Nuggets received an NBA championship that left a number of folks injured, and final 12 months, gunfire in a car parking zone close to the Texas Rangers’ World Collection championship parade.
Social media customers posted a surprising video of police working via a crowded scene as attendees scrambled for canopy and ran away. One video confirmed somebody performing chest compressions on a capturing sufferer whereas one other individual lay on the bottom close by, apparently writhing in ache. Folks had been shouting within the background.
One other video confirmed two onlookers chasing and tackling somebody, holding that individual till two cops arrived.
Kansas Metropolis has lengthy struggled with gun violence and was one in every of 9 cities focused by the U.S. Division of Justice in 2020 in an effort to crack down on violent crime. In 2023, town tied a file with 182 homicides, most of which concerned firearms.
Mayor Quinton Lucas has joined mayors throughout the nation in calling for brand new legal guidelines to scale back gun violence, together with mandating common background checks.
“That is completely a tragedy, a tragedy that we by no means anticipated in Kansas Metropolis, a tragedy that we’ll bear in mind for a while,” Lucas mentioned.
Lisa Cash of Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, was making an attempt to gather some confetti close to the top of the parade when she heard somebody shout, “Down, down, everybody down!”
At first, Cash thought somebody was joking, till she noticed the SWAT staff leap the fence.
“I am unable to consider it truly occurred. Who of their proper thoughts would do one thing like that? This must be a vacation for everybody within the city and the encircling space. After which you have got some fool who needs to come back alongside and one thing like that like doing this,” she mentioned.
Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kansas, mentioned he heard what seemed like fireworks after which folks working. After that first assault, calm returned, and he did not assume a lot about it. However he mentioned 10 minutes later ambulances began displaying up.
“It sucks that somebody needed to crash the occasion, however we’re in an enormous metropolis,” Sanders mentioned.
College Well being spokeswoman Nancy Lewis mentioned the hospital was treating eight gunshot victims. Two had been in vital situation and 6 had been in steady situation, she mentioned. The hospital additionally handled 4 folks for different accidents ensuing from the chaos after the capturing, Lewis mentioned.
Lisa Augustine, spokesperson for Youngsters’s Mercy Kansas Metropolis, mentioned the hospital handled 12 sufferers from the gathering, together with 11 youngsters, a few of whom suffered gunshot wounds.
St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas Metropolis acquired one affected person with a gunshot wound in vital situation and three walk-in sufferers with accidents that weren’t life-threatening, spokesperson Laurel Gifford mentioned.
“When you have got that many victims, it’ll be unfold throughout many hospitals so you do not overwhelm any ER,” she mentioned.
Chiefs coach Rick Burkholder mentioned he was with coach Andy Reid and different coaches and workers on the time of the capturing and that the staff sat on buses and returned to Arrowhead Stadium.
“Praying for Kansas Metropolis,” Chiefs quarterback and Tremendous Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes mentioned in a speech put up on X, previously generally known as Twitter, which additionally featured three emojis of fingers in prayer.
Missouri’s Republican Governor Mike Parson and First Woman Teresa Parson had been on the parade throughout the gunfire however had been unhurt. “Due to the professionalism of our public security officers and first responders, Teresa, I and our workers are secure,” Parson mentioned in a press release.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the capturing in Kansas Metropolis and can proceed to obtain updates, a White Home spokesman mentioned. White Home officers have been involved with state and native leaders, and federal regulation enforcement is on the bottom to assist native regulation enforcement.
Areas crammed with crowds had been empty after the capturing, whereas police and firefighters stood speaking behind an space cordoned off with yellow tape.
Crowds of individuals lined the route, with followers climbing timber and avenue poles or standing on rooftops for a greater view. Gamers rolled via the group in double-decker buses as DJs and drummers introduced their arrival. Proprietor Clark Hunt was on a type of buses, holding the Lombardi Trophy.
The town and staff every donated about $1 million for the occasion commemorating Travis Kelce, Mahomes and the Chiefs changing into the primary staff since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots 20 years in the past defend their title.
After many years and not using a championship, town is gaining expertise with victory parades. 5 seasons in the past, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers for the staff’s first Tremendous Bowl championship in 50 years. That got here after the Kansas Metropolis Royals received the World Collection in 2015, town’s first baseball championship in 30 years. That 12 months, followers left their automobiles on the facet of the freeway so they might stroll to the occasion.
Then, final 12 months, the Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and prophetically promised they’d come again for extra.
