Counseling offered for Kansas City community after Super Bowl rally shooting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office has organized counseling services after a shooting that left one person dead and several others injured near the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally at Union Station on Wednesday.
“The shootings at Union Station following the Kansas City Chief’s victory parade on Wednesday marred a beautiful celebration,” the prosecutor’s office said in a news release.
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“These horrible events can create deep emotional trauma for persons involved or persons who witnessed the violence. Family members can also be greatly impacted.”
The prosecutor’s office said it has staffed trained to engage individuals dealing with such emotional trauma. It’s also enlisting other local agencies that provide counseling.
All counseling will be free.
Individuals will be able to talk to a counselor or social worker at United Church of Christ, located in Brookside at 205 W. 65th Street, from 11a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday.
Individuals can reach the church office at 816-523-4813. Parking is available on the street.
They intend to make this service available again soon, but have not set a date yet.
“When it happens in your own backyard, it brings it close and personal,” Child Protective Center Clinical Director Dawn Clendon-Moon said. “It’d be easy to understand people feeling shocked, maybe a bit numb. It may take awhile for the trauma responses to show up.”
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The Child Protection Center will also be offering services.
“We have to let them ask questions. Sometimes, I think we think kids aren’t taking in everything. They’re sponges. They’re taking it all in. They’re going to be impacted,” Clendon-Moon said.
The Johnson County Mental Health Center is also offering help to those who may be experiencing symptoms of trauma.
At the conclusion of the rally, there were shots fired west of Union Station near the garage and several people were struck, a KCPD spokesperson said. The shooting happened near West Pershing and Kessler roads.
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Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves confirmed one person died and over 20 people were injured by gunfire.
Patients were transported to University Health, St. Luke’s and Children’s Mercy Hospital, officials said.
St. Luke’s confirmed it has one critical patient and three walk-in patients with minor injuries, not gunshot related. University Health said it has eight shooting victims, including two in critical condition, and four other patients who were injured but not shot.
Children’s Mercy said it has 12 patients, and 11 are children. Nine of those patients have gunshot wounds. All of them are expected to recover.
Including gunshot victims and other injuries, nearly 30 were injured in the shooting, according to information from hospital officials.
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Two armed people were initially arrested, police said, and later Wednesday, Graves updated that a third person is now in custody.
KCPD is asking anyone who was in the vicinity of the parade during the shooting, witnessed it, has any video of the shooting incident or who was a victim of the shooting who has not yet reported being shot to call (816) 413-3477.
