The terrifying moment gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade shows innocent bystanders running in mass panic.
The horrific incident has left one person dead while another 22 injured, with some of the wounded being children, the fire department has said. Michael Hopkins, the fire department spokesperson, said eight patients were in critical condition and transported to hospitals within 10 minutes, seven had life-threatening injuries and six had minor injuries.
Three people have been detained by cops as part of the investigation into the violent shooting that overshadowed the celebration in Kansas City.
The parade was celebrating the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, February 11.
A local DJ has been identified as the woman who lost her life, with friends writing on social media she passed away in surgery after suffering a gunshot wound to her abdomen. Lisa Lopez-Galvan was named by KKFI radio 90.1 FM, through a tribute on Facebook.
“Lisa was one of our programmers/DJs on Taste of Tejano. Like all our programmers, she was a volunteer who donated her time and talent to KKFI. Along with her co-producer/DJ Tommy Andrade, their show has brought a voice to the KC community that is missed in the mainstream media,” Kelly Dougherty, the station’s director of development and communications, said in an email to CNN.
It’s believed one million people were in downtown Kansas City for the parade, and players were still on the stage of the victory rally when the shooting started at Union Station.
One woman said she was standing to the right of the stage when she heard gunfire. She told KCTV she didn’t know what was going on but saw police run into buildings around Union Station, and a person in the crowd speculated a fire.
“I was just telling everybody to get down, get down and get out the way and then the officers were coming around,” another woman said.
Madison Anderes, 24, said she had to run for her life when she heard the shots.
“At first we thought it was a string of fireworks,” she explained, but a man stood in front of them and yelled: “He’s got a gun!”
“That’s when all chaos broke out,” Anderes said, who was knocked down on the ground when everyone started running. “I felt like I was going to die, I felt like a sitting duck and I was going to get shot.”
Man tackled ‘gunman to the ground’
Paul Contreras tackled an individual to the ground who was holding a weapon, he told CNN.
He hit the individual from behind and knocked the gun out of their possession, and he and another person tackled the gunman to the ground and waited until police arrived.
“He was fighting the whole time,” he said of the gunman. “And we were fighting him to keep him down.”
It’s not clear if the person tackled is one of the three people detained.
Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news conference all the players, coaches and staff are accounted for and safe. He said he was “heartbroken as anybody” and “incredibly upset, disappointed” over the shooting.
He added: “I don’t want us to have to in our country — for every big event — think about a concern of being shot.”
“It is time to act. That’s where I stand. And I ask the country to stand with me. To make your voice heard in Congress so we finally act to ban assault weapons, to limit high-capacity magazines, strengthen background checks, keep guns out of the hands of those who have no business owning them or handling them,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
Police Chief Stacey Graves said more than 800 law enforcement officers were at the event at the time.
“I am angry at what happened today. The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment,” the police chief said.
“I’m so proud of them that they ran into danger, getting two people into custody, and at the same time rendering life-sustaining aid to those victims,” she continued.
Kansas City Chiefs are ‘heartbroken’
The players have been paying tribute on social media, sending messages of support following the incident.
Quarterback Patric Mahomes said he is praying for his city, while tight end Travis Kelce said he was “heartbroken” over the news.
Defensive end Charles Omenihu offered condolences and commented on gun laws.
He wrote: “Prayers for those affected at today’s parade. A time of celebration ends in tragedy. When are we going to fix these gun laws? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough? It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT.”
Linebacker Drue Tranquill asked people to join him in praying for those who had been wounded.
He said: “Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act. Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”
CNN senior law enforcement analyst Andrew McCabe said events like the rally are “almost impossible to completely secure” as he commented on the gun laws in Missouri. He explained residents are not required to have a state permit or licensing requirement before buying or owning rifles, shotguns or handguns, according to the National Rifle Association of America.
There have been at least 154 mass shootings in the state since 2013. 156 people have died from these incidents and a further 582 have been injured. These statistics do not include the shooting in Kansas City which took place this week.
The FBI has set up a website asking for tips or videos.
It’s been reported the shooting is the 48th mass shooting in the United States this year so far, six weeks in, reports the Gun Violence Archive.
