Source: Jamie Squire / Getty
The Kansas City Chief’s Super Bowl-winning parade ended with tragedy instead of a triumphant celebration.
On Wednesday afternoon, as the parade was ending gunfire broke out, leaving one person, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a local DJ in Kansas City, dead.
In the melee, 21 others were injured, with at least eight of them being life-threatening, when the shooting began around 2 p.m. near Union Station. Authorities say that 11 of those victims were kids between the ages of 6 and 15.
The police have arrested three suspects for their alleged involvement in the shooting, but it’s still unclear if the shooter set out to commit a mass shooting or if a personal disagreement erupted and a weapon was pulled.
There’s even footage circulating social media showing parade goers detaining one of the alleged shooters.
One of the brave men who jumped on top of one of the suspects was Paul Contreras, who was heading back to his car. He saw cops chasing someone, so he and another man can be seen on video tackling the suspect.
“It was just a reaction. He was running against [the flow of people] … the wrong way, and there was another gentleman screaming out of the top of his lungs, ‘Catch this guy, tackle him.’” Contreras told NBC’s TODAY. “I really wasn’t sure until he came running, and I had the perfect angle to do what I did. I took him down.”
After holding him down for about 30 seconds, cops rushed in to put him in handcuffs.
Since the shooting occurred as the parade was ending, the Chiefs players were making their way off stage. The team has since announced that all the players, coaches and families are safe.
“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,” the Chiefs said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City.”
Patrick Mahomes addressed the tragedy on his X account, tweeting “Praying for Kansas City” alongside three prayer hand emojis and retweeted linebacker Drue Tranquill’s message, “Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act. Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”
Chiefs offensive lineman Trey Smith spoke to Good Morning America about the scary moments after the shooting as security rushed to get the team to safety and remembers grabbing a little kid near him and hiding in a closet.
“Right before I run in there, there’s a little kid in front of me, so I just grabbed him and yanked him up and said, ‘You’re hopping in here with me, buddy,’” Smith recalled. “I don’t know how many people were in the closet, maybe 20 plus.”
See how social media is reacting to the latest mass shooting in America below.
