Feb. 14, both Valentine’s Day and the days following the Super Bowl, became a day of loss and upheaval after a fatal shooting at the celebratory parade for the Kansas City Chiefs football team.
The parade went through Kansas City, and gunshots began around 2 p.m. at Union Station.
A dispute among the crowd, close to a million fans, resulted in a shootout that injured 22 people and killed one.
At a press conference on Feb. 15, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves released limited information on the event and the investigation on the perpetrators. Additionally, videos and statements from bystanders and the football team add to completing the picture on the [adj] event.
According to an article in CNN, “The woman killed has been identified as Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a local DJ and a mom of two kids, according to her family and police. More than 20 others were hurt, ranging from 8 to 47 years old, according to Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves. Half of those people were under the age of 16,” she said.
Videos show a bystander tackling an alleged shooter, but the investigation is ongoing as to what began the shootout and who or how many people were responsible.
“Police said Thursday they had detained three juveniles but released one who they determined wasn’t involved in the shooting, leaving two in custody…several firearms were recovered and that investigators were working to determine whether other people were involved,” according to the Associated Press,
The shooting prompted responses from members of the Chiefs, as well as a statement from President Joe Biden calling for gun control.
In a press release from the White House, President Joe Biden released a statement, which read in part: “Today’s events should move us, shock us, shame us into acting…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.”
Notably, the President referenced the anniversary of the infamous Parkland shooting, and the parade shooting was far from the first of the year.
The National Football League also put out a statement, according to CBS News.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected. We are grateful for the quick and thorough response of law enforcement and emergency personnel.”