Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said 22 people were shot — including nine children — after gunfire erupted Wednesday in downtown Kansas City, with police confirming three individuals are now in custody.
Graves shared the updated information at a second news conference hours after chaos ensued when shots rang out just west of Union Station moments after the Chiefs’ Super Bowl Victory Parade came to a close. Graves said a motive remains unclear. It’s also unclear if there was more than one shooting. Police initially said two armed individuals were taken into custody, but Graves later added that a third individual had also been detained.
Graves, who added that police recovered at least one firearm, confirmed that Children’s Mercy Hospital is treating 12 patients who attended the rally and of those 12 patients, 11 are children and nine of the injured have gunshot wounds. The 22 gunshot victims were taken to three separate hospitals. An official with Children’s Mercy later said that all patients being treated at Children’s Mercy are expected to have a full recovery.
Officials did not have information on the deceased person, but a Facebook postfrom radio station KKFI 90.1 FM shared that one of their DJs and host of Taste of Tejano, Lisa Lopez, was killed at the shooting.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas confirmed no one with the Chiefs — players or staff — suffered injuries. He added that Chiefs players, their spouses and team staff were among the hundreds who “ran in fear for their lives.”
Video and images show people running for cover as chaos descended around Union Station, site of where the Chiefs held their rally after completing a parade that slowly snaked its way through downtown.
Moments after the shooting, Patrick Mahomes tweeted, “Praying for Kansas City.” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill also tweeted, “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.”
Rick Burkholder, the Chiefs’ VP of Sports Medicine and Performance, also tweeted that he and his wife “along with Coach Reid and his family are safe on a bus headed to Arrowhead [Stadium].”
The Chiefs later released a statement addressing the tragic events.
“We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today’s parade and rally,” the statement read. “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City. We are in close communication with the Mayor’s office as well as the Kansas City Police Department. At this time, we have confirmed that all of our players, coaches, staff and their families are safe and accounted for. We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on-scene to assist.”
The Chiefs were celebrating their second consecutive Super Bowl victory, after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in overtime on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
