Downtown Kansas City erupted into chaos on Wednesday afternoon after one person was killed and at least 22 others were injured in a shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade on Wednesday, authorities said.
Hundreds of thousands of Chiefs fans are believed to have attended the parade, and police said shots rang out nearby as it was coming to a close.
Three people have been detained for investigation, but a motive behind the shooting—and the names of those suspected of being behind it—was not immediately released.
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Kansas City Police said at a news conference that of the 22 gunshot victims, at least eight had suffered “immediately” threatening injuries.
“People who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment,” Chief Stacey Graves said. “This tragedy occurred even in the presence of uniformed officers.” At least 800 officers had been on hand for the parade, 600 of whom were with Kansas City Police.
Stephanie Meyer, the senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, said Wednesday night that the facility had treated 12 patients: 11 children, nine of whom had been shot. The remaining three suffered “incidental injuries,” Meyer said.
The ages of the injured ranged between 6 and 15.
“All of those patients we expect to have a full recovery, none of which are in critical condition,” Meyer said, adding staff were on hand at the scene of the shooting.
“Our staff were able to put their training into good use today and we are thankful for all of them remaining professional, calm, and coming into the situation with ease and grace,” she said.
During her press conference, Meyer also took a moment to address the disappointment she felt in her community following the senseless shooting, saying, “Today has been extremely disheartening.”
She said “fear” was the one word she would use to describe the children’s reaction to the harrowing incident.
In a statement posted to social media after the shooting, the Chiefs confirmed all of its players, staff and families had been accounted for, adding, “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. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City.”
The statement said the Chiefs are “in close communication with the Mayor's office as well as the Kansas City Police Department.”
“We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on-scene to assist.”
Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ star QB, addressed the parade incident in a post to X, writing, “Praying for Kansas City.”
Travis Kelce followed, writing that he was “heartbroken over the tragedy” and that “my heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.”
The NFL also praised law enforcement and emergency personnel in a brief statement, adding, “We are deeply saddened by the senseless shooting that occurred today near the end of the rally in Kansas City for the Chiefs. Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected.”
Earlier, Kansas City Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins told The Daily Beast that emergency rooms were “starting to get some walk-ins [to the hospital] from the area” after the shooting occurred.
John O’Connor, who was near the shooting when it broke out, told the Kansas City Star he heard what he initially thought was fireworks. He counted between 15 to 20 bangs that he now knows were gunshots.
“A lot of people scattered in confusion,” he said. “I got ran into the garage with everyone else.”
An unverified video circulated online that showed a man dressed in all red being led away from the scene in handcuffs. That same man was photographed by photojournalists at the scene, who captured him sitting on the ground handcuffed, flanked by police.
A person is detained by police near the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory parade.
Getty Images/Andrew Caballero-ReynoldsAnother appeared to show Chiefs fans tackling a man that was running. Graves said she’d heard about fans taking action to detain one of the shooting suspects.
A live BBC report captured the moment hundreds of fans frantically fled the area outside Union Station. The reporter can be heard yelling over gunfire and the screams of fans, “Guys, guys, guys, something is going on. Something is going on.”
Gabe Wallace, a sophomore in high school, told the Star that he hit his head on the concrete and lost touch with his friends amid the chaos. He said the Chiefs’ coach, Andy Reid, gave him a hug as he thought to himself, “My friends are dead.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who attended the parade, said she escaped the shooting and is out of harm’s way.
President Joe Biden released a lengthy statement Wednesday night urging gun reforms in the country. “What are we waiting for? What else do we need to see? How many more families need to be torn apart?”
“Jill and I pray for those killed and injured today in Kansas City, and for our country to find the resolve to end this senseless epidemic of gun violence tearing us at the seams.”
