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By Nadine Yousif and Mike Wendlingbbc news
One person was killed and 21 injured in a shooting in Missouri at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade.
Authorities said they treated eight victims who were in immediate life-threatening condition and seven others who had suffered potentially life-threatening injuries.
Nine children were among the injured and all are expected to recover.
Police said they arrested three suspects in connection with the shooting.
The shooting occurred west of Union Station, the train station in downtown Kansas City, which was where the parade ended around 2:00 p.m. local time (8:00 p.m. GMT) and thousands of fans had gathered to watch the festivities.
Local reports said Kansas City Chiefs players were still on a stage when the first shots were heard.
The gunshots sent the watching crowd, including the city’s mayor and his relatives, running for cover.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said officers responded immediately after gunfire erupted and detectives on the scene quickly opened an investigation. The Fire Department also intervened and provided aid to the injured.
More than 800 police officers were already on site to monitor the parade, authorities said. The city’s fire department was also present to provide medical attention if necessary.
fake imagesAt a news conference Wednesday, Chief Graves said a total of 22 people were hit by gunfire, one of whom died, and three people were arrested.
A local radio station said one of its DJs, Lisa Lopez, was killed in the shooting.
Surviving victims were transported to three local hospitals, authorities said, and cases in immediate danger were taken to the hospital ten minutes after the shooting.
Nine children between the ages of six and 15 with gunshot wounds are being treated at Children’s Mercy Hospital, said Chief Nursing Officer Stephanie Meyer.
“The only word I would use to describe what we saw and how they felt when they came to us was fear,” Ms. Meyer added.
Local hospitals said they were also treating people who were not shot but had suffered other injuries in the sudden stampede that followed the shooting.
City officials did not release the names of any of the victims. They also did not share any information about the arrested suspects, including what may have led to the shooting.
A police source told CBS News, the BBC’s American partner, that the shooting appeared to be the result of an argument that turned violent. The source said it was not related to terrorism.
Police said they are investigating the motive and gathering physical and digital evidence. They asked that any witnesses or people with information contact police.
A ‘heartbroken’ city
The shooting broke out as the city celebrated the Kansas City Chiefs’ second consecutive Super Bowl victory. But this lesser-known American city was stripped of its exhilarating, unifying moment.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said he was inside Union Station when he and others heard the sound of gunshots. He and members of his family began running.
“We came out today like everyone else in Kansas City looking to have a celebration,” Lucas said at Wednesday’s news conference.
“I was there with my wife, I was there with my mother. I would never have thought that we, along with the Chiefs players, together with the fans, hundreds of thousands of people, would be forced to run today for our safety.”
fake imagesIn a statement, the Kansas City Chiefs organization said it was “truly saddened” by Wednesday’s violence. He added that his players, coaches and staff, as well as their families, were located and safe.
Travis Kelce, the team’s star tight end whose relationship with Taylor Swift became a cultural phenomenon, wrote on social media that he was “heartbroken by the tragedy that took place today.”
Chiefs wide receiver Márquez Valdés-Scantling also took to social media after the tragedy. He said he wanted to contact the young victims of the shooting.
“I want to make sure they do well,” Valdes-Scantling said. “But I would love to help them in any way I can and get them some equipment to help with their recovery.”
The mayor emphasized that the city had safety measures in place that should make the public think deeply about the path forward. Even though there were hundreds of law enforcement officers present, he said, this incident occurred due to the presence of bad actors with firearms.
In a statement, US President Joe Biden also reflected on the issue of gun violence in the country.
“Today’s events should shock, shock and shame us into action,” he said, while calling for gun reform and a ban on assault rifles in the United States.
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