Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting stemmed from personal dispute, police say: Live updates

A personal dispute between several people erupted in gunfire at a packed celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory, injuring over 20 people and killing a mother of two, authorities said Thursday.

Nearly 1 million people were estimated to have been in downtown Kansas City on Wednesday when gunshots sent scores of people running for cover around 2 p.m. outside Union Station, a historic depot. Twenty-two people ages 8-47 were wounded by gunfire, said Kansas City, Missouri, Police Chief Stacey Graves at a news conference. About half of the victims are under the age of 16, Graves said.

Kansas City police officer Alayna Gonzalez told USA TODAY that officers detained three juveniles but have released one who they determined wasn’t involved. Officers are working with juvenile prosecutors to “review investigative findings and determine applicable charges," Gonzalez said.

One of the three people who was questioned by law enforcement was tackled by bystanders before being detained, Gonzalez said. More than 800 officers were providing security for the event. Graves noted several firearms were recovered from the scene.

Investigators were working to determine "the involvement of others," Graves said, adding that "there was no nexus to terrorism or home-grown violent extremism."

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two and a beloved host of "Taste of Tejano," was killed in the shooting, radio station KKFI confirmed. “This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community," the station said in a statement.

Bullets ripped through the crowd near the end of the parade, after hundreds of thousands of fans in Kansas City's red, white and gold walked several miles through the heart of the city's downtown to Union Station, where a rally was held on an outside lawn with speeches by players and coaches.

Videos from the scene showed throngs of people running as gunfire and screams could be heard in the background. One video showed two people tackle and pin another person to the ground until officers arrived and took the person into custody.

Gun violence: Kansas City parade shooting shows gun violence danger lurks wherever people gather in US

Seven child victims of shooting released from hospital

Seven children who were treated after the shooting at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City have been released, Stephanie Meyer, the hospital's chief nursing officer, said at a press briefing on Thursday.

Meyer said nine of the eleven child victims of the shooting admitted to the hospital had suffered gunshot wounds. The youngest is aged six, she said.

Doctors expect all of the three children still in treatment to fully recover, she added.

"They are stabilized. They're doing well," Meyer said. "I think prayers and hope for them is exactly what they need."

Five gunshot victims released from Kansas City hospital

Five of the eight gunshot victims of the shooting admitted to the emergency department at University Health hospital in Kansas City have been released, Dr. Mark Steele, the hospital's chief clinical officer, said at a press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Of the three remaining, one is in stable condition, Steele said. The other two "remain in critical condition in our ICU, but they both are improving, so that's good news," he said.

Dr. Dustin Neel, a trauma surgeon, said the first victim of the shooting to arrive at the hospital is still in critical condition. He said the victim, a young man likely over 18, sustained an injury that was "90% lethal."

"Had he not made it here at fast as he had, he might not be with us now," Neel said.

Neel said some patients came to the hospital with broken bones sustained from the rush to escape the gunfire.

More: Photos show Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade go from celebration to deadly shooting

All victims taken to children's hospital expected to recover

Nine of 12 people taken to Children’s Mercy hospital in Kansas City after the shooting have been released as of Thursday afternoon, said Lisa Augustin, a spokesperson for the hospital. Three were still being treated and are expected to recover.

Of the 12 patients, 11 were children 6 to 15. Nine of the minors had gunshot wounds.

Police have said the youngest victim of the shooting is 8 years old.

'There was a frenzy': Wichita man tackles suspected shooter

Trey Filter, a 40-year-old lifelong Chiefs fan, joined a group effort to tackle a person who may have opened fire into the crowd of fans.

“There was a frenzy,” Filter told USA TODAY. “People were freaking out.”

Filter and his family were leaving the parade for their home in Wichita when shots first broke out, scattering the crowd. When he heard a woman shout that someone had a gun, he “just went for it."

As another man tried to restrain the suspected shooter’s hands, Filter reached underneath the man but couldn’t find any gun.

“I started hitting him in the ribs,” Filter said.

He didn’t let up until police pulled him off by his feet. Meanwhile, Filter’s wife picked up a “huge assault rifle” nearby.

Once police had the situation under control, Filter and his family didn’t stick around. “Let's get the hell out of here,” he told his wife. “We didn't know if there was more drama or what was going on.”

– Cybele Mayes-Osterman

At least two people remain in critical condition

University Health, a hospital in Kansas City, announced on Thursday that two people with gunshot wounds remain in critical condition.

The hospital received eight of the gunshot victims. As of Thursday afternoon, five have been discharged and one was in stable condition, according to an email to USA TODAY from hospital spokesperson Leslie Carto. Four people with non-gunshot injuries were sent to the hospital; three have been sent home.

FBI creates webpage for videos of shooting

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with Kansas City police, set up a webpage where people with videos of the deadly shooting can share it with investigators.

The website asks users to upload files along with a short description of what is shown in the recording. The FBI, in a news release, said it is looking for any videos "from the Super Bowl shooting and any video of the shooters attempting to flee the scene."

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, mother and music aficionado, remembered

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, whose DJ name was "Lisa G," was one of the well-known hosts of a radio show that specialized in Tejano, often called Tex-Mex, a style of music known for its blend of Mexican and U.S. influences.

For years, Lopez-Galvan, 43, listened to the "Taste of Tejano" radio show while working as a private DJ, often hired to perform at local weddings, quinceañeras and an American Legion bar. After several stints volunteering for the show, she was hired as a co-host in March 2022.

"For Lisa music is life and a source of happiness," a biography of Lopez-Galvan on the KKFI website.

Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez, two childhood friends who worked with her at a staffing company, told the Associated Press Lopez-Galvan’s family is active in the Latino community and her father founded the city’s first mariachi group, Mariachi Mexico, in the 1980s.

Manny Abarca, a Jackson County legislator who knew Lopez-Galvan for over a decade, said among the things he'll remember most clearly about Lopez-Galvan is her smile.

"I have witnessed that smile across DJ equipment, and on the stage of our largest Fiesta in #KansasCity," he wrote on X. "I will not let her death go in (vain). I will legislate, I will fight and I WILL do everything in my power to change this State and City for the better."

Mental health resources

As families across Kansas City cope with the aftermath of Wednesday's shooting, local officials and groups are offering mental health resources to help the community heal.

Children's Mercy Hospital launched a guide for parents and children on mental health resources, including how to talk to kids about a traumatic event and when to seek help.

The Jackson County prosecutor's office arranged free counseling sessions and a hotline, and Kansas City has a general list of mental health resources for residents.

The American Counseling Association offers some tips for people coping in the aftermath of a shooting, including attending to self-care, keeping in touch with loved ones and maintaining practices that bring emotional relief.

Gun safety advocates push for legislative action

Gun safety advocates in Missouri are once again pressuring lawmakers to act.

Alison Shih, senior counsel at Everytown for Gun Safety, said people have become energized in the past day in calling for more gun control in Missouri. But she doesn’t have high hopes for the state Legislature to act in what she said are residents’ best interests.

“My instinct is that it's unlikely to happen unless the makeup changes, but I hope they hear the rallying cry of our people,” Shih said. “But this year is an election year and I hope Missourians can vote out politicians who aren't protecting them or acting in their best interest.”

Kansas City Police Department spokesperson Alayna Gonzalez said the city had a record-high of 182 homicides in 2023. According to the police department's daily homicide analysis, the city has had 12 homicides less than two months into 2024, which doesn't include Wednesday's shooting. This time last year, police tracked 17 homicides in Kansas City.

“We have to do something to address gun violence in this country and this state with Kansas City and St. Louis having high gun rates,” said Gwen Grant, president and CEO of the Urban League of Kansas City.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas increased the number of police officers, according to his 2024 State of the City address, which Grant said isn’t a viable solution, noting the shooting on Wednesday unfolded despite a heavy law enforcement presence.

Lucas’s office didn’t immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.

“If we want to ensure or prevent or decrease the level of violent crime, we have to make a commitment to address the problem in a very comprehensive and systemic manner,” Grant said.

– Krystal Nurse, John Fritze, USA TODAY; Galen Bacharier, USA TODAY Network

Chiefs players react to deadly shooting

Multiple Kansas City Chiefs players, some of whom spoke to the massive crowd shortly before shots were fired, took to social media to ask for prayers for the victims, thank first responders and demand gun reform.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said on X he is "praying for Kansas City" in the wake of the shooting.

"I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today," wrote Travis Kelce, the Chiefs' tight end. "My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me."

Austin Reiter, the Chiefs offensive lineman said, "We are still struggling to make sense of the tragedy that happened today. Our hearts are with the victims and all those traumatized by this experience. Thank you to the police, first responders, and all those who worked together to get people out of harms way."

Charles Omenihu, defensive end, asked "When are we going to fix these gun laws? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough?" He added that "It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT."

'Nervous, scared': People recount chaos when gunfire broke out

Kevin Sanders, 53, of Lenexa, Kansas, said he heard what sounded like firecrackers and then saw people running. After that initial flurry, calm returned, and he didn’t think much of it. But he said 10 minutes later, ambulances started showing up.

“It sucks that someone had to ruin the celebration, but we are in a big city,” Sanders said.

Ofilio Martinez, 48, said he heard shots fired a couple blocks away about 10 or 15 minutes before the gunfire near the Union Station rally.

“This is making me nervous, scared,” he said.

Gunfire broke out less than half an hour after Chiefs fans concluded their parade in celebration of their Super Bowl victory.

Crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has a page on its website of verified fundraisers to support victims of the shooting.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kansas Chiefs parade shooting live updates: Personal dispute blamed