KANSAS CITY — One person was killed and at least 21 others were shot, including nine children, in a barrage of gunfire at a Super Bowl victory celebration in Kansas City on Wednesday afternoon, turning a scene of triumph into one of chaos as thousands of fans in red jerseys ran for safety.
It was unclear who was responsible for the shooting near the city’s Union Station. Three people were detained, the Kansas City police chief said, and at least two of them had been armed, authorities said earlier in the day. Police were trying to determine whether one of the three in custody had been tackled by fans at the rally, referring to videos circulating online.
The police chief, Stacey Graves, said the authorities were working to identify the deceased victim. Police have not yet determined a motive.
The shock of gun violence pierced an otherwise idyllic winter afternoon, with bright sunshine and temperatures in the 60s (Fahrenheit) greeting a city ready to rejoice in what had become close to an annual rite of February.
Columns of fans, many wearing red, had lined the 2-mile parade route, celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ second consecutive Super Bowl victory and third in five seasons, waving at players, coaches and team officials riding past in open-top red buses.
The parade — planned “with the safety and security of fans in mind,” according to the Kansas City Sports Commission — officially began at 11am and ended with a rally at Union Station, a century-old rail depot that has been redeveloped into a destination with shops, restaurants and a science centre.
Around 2pm, shots were fired on the west side of Union Station. “I know one of the suspects was immediately pursued on foot,” Graves said at a news conference.
Children’s Mercy Hospital said it was treating 12 people who were injured in the shooting — 11 children, ages 6-15, and one mother who would not leave her child. Nine of the children had gunshot wounds, said a hospital spokesperson, Stephanie Meyer. All of them were expected to recover.
Other victims were taken to University Health, formerly Truman Medical Center, where eight were being treated for gunshot wounds, including two in critical condition, said Keith King, a hospital spokesperson. One victim with a gunshot wound was in critical condition at Saint Luke’s Hospital, said Laurel Gifford, a spokesperson for that hospital. University Health and Saint Luke’s were treating people with other injuries.
Jacob Gooch Sr. was standing near the southwest side of Union Station when, like others in the area, he heard noises that sounded like fireworks. When his ankle felt hot, he thought a spark had burned him. He said he tried to run, and then fell, crawling to get away.
In the chaos, Gooch lost his group, which included his girlfriend and son, who he said were both also shot. His son, he said, had a bullet lodged in the bottom of his foot.
“I can’t believe my family got hit,” Gooch said. “It’s crazy to think someone had a gun pointed at you and pulled the trigger.”
Dana Brady and her 14-year-old daughter had started walking toward where their Uber had dropped them off when they heard “pop, pop, pop,” Brady recalled.
They froze for a moment, she said, and then a blur of people ran toward them. Brady and her daughter began trying to climb over barricades in search of safety, and eventually ran into Union Station. They sat down beside a woman and her young children, who were crying, before reaching a safe zone.
“We talked about this in school,” Brady said, recounting a conversation among the children. “To turn off our phones and be very quiet.”
The governors of Kansas and Missouri were both at the rally. Gov Laura Kelly of Kansas had to be evacuated, and she posted on social media that she was “out of harm’s way.” Gov Mike Parson of Missouri and his wife were both “safe and secure,” the governor’s office said on social media.
Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, said he was at the parade with his wife and mother, and was in Union Station when he heard gunfire.
“When you have people who decide to bring guns to events, when you have people who are deciding to try to mar events — celebratory ones, like this one — all of us start to become members of this club that none of us want to be a part of,” Lucas said at the news conference Wednesday.
Kansas City players posted messages of support on social media. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who led his team to victory over San Francisco on Sunday, said he was “praying for Kansas City.” Tight end Travis Kelce wrote that he was “heartbroken,” adding, “KC, you mean the world to me.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
