One dead, 22 injured at US Super Bowl victory parade shooting

CHICAGO -- At least one person was killed and 22 others injured by gunfire in a shooting during the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade in Kansas City in the US state of Missouri, authorities said Wednesday.

Stacey Graves, chief of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, detailed the shooting's toll at a news conference and said three people had been taken into custody. She added that fans may have been involved in apprehending a suspect but couldn't immediately confirm that.

"I'm angry at what happened today. The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment," Graves said.

Police did not immediately release any details about the people taken into custody or about a possible motive for the shootings. She said firearms had been recovered, but not what kind of weapons were used.

"All of that is being actively investigated," she said, adding that more than 800 law enforcement officers were at the scene to keep people safe.

"Shots have been fired around Union Station. Please leave the area," the Kansas City Police Department said on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, who had been evacuated from the rally site, posted on X that she encouraged everyone to follow instructions and updates from the police, local media reported.

University Health spokeswoman Nancy Lewis said eight gunshot victims were being treated in a hospital. Two were in critical condition and the other six were in stable condition, she said. The hospital also was treating four people for other injuries resulting from the chaos after the shooting, Lewis said.

Lisa Augustine, spokesperson for Children's Mercy Kansas City, said the hospital was treating 12 patients from the rally, including 11 children, some of whom suffered gunshot wounds.

The Kansas City Chiefs said all their players, coaches, staffers and their families were "safe and accounted for" after the deadly shooting.

"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."

Missouri's Governor Mike Parson and his wife, Teresa Parson, were at the parade during the gunfire but were unhurt. "Thanks to the professionalism of our security officers and first responders, Teresa and I and our staff are safe and secure," Parson said in a statement.

According to a White House spokesperson, President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and will continue to receive updates. White House officials were in touch with state and local leaders, and federal law enforcement was on the scene cooperating with their local counterparts.

The Chinese Consulate General in Chicago contacted the Kansas City Police Department, and confirmed there was no Chinese citizen killed or injured in the shooting.

Mass shootings are common in the United States, where the guns people own outnumber the population.

The Kansas City shooting was not the only incident to grab national headlines Wednesday. Earlier, four students were also shot outside an Atlanta high school, while three police officers were shot during a standoff in the capital Washington.

According to the Gun Violence Archive website, 656 mass shootings occurred in the United States last year, and 18,854 deaths were caused by gun violence.

So far in 2024, 49 mass shootings have taken place in the United States, and 1,957 people have been killed by gun violence, the archive showed.