On the Thursday edition of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) discussed the horrifying violence that erupted in the city’s Super Bowl celebration. A mother of two was killed and over 20 people injured in what was described as a personal dispute gone terribly wrong.
Lucas spoke of metal detectors being deployed, something he then acknowledged as grossly impractical in a city parade setting that covers many blocks and perhaps a million people.
But without these, he said, “then how can be ever fully be safe in a city, a state, and perhaps a country where we know that people are freely walking around with AR-15s, with modified handguns with switches, with any number of issues, or frankly, even just your old classic revolver?”
Lucas added, “If we know that one can act with impunity with that, then it’s hard to say we’ll ever be fully as safe as I think we’d like to idealize ourselves to be.”
NPR co-host Juana Summers noted that Kansas City has a major St. Patrick’s Day parade on the horizon. “Are you, at this point, thinking differently about public celebrations in light of this, the types of precautions that might need to be taken?”
After all, the city had 800 police officers on the streets and violent criminals still found a way to cause mayhem.
Lucas said the city can and will have more officers before noting the limitations to ensuring public safety in a massive parade setting.
Nearly 1 million people were estimated to have converged onto downtown Kansas City Wednesday to celebrate the NFL team’s Super Bowl win. When gunshots erupted, many thought they were simply fireworks that were part of the massive event.
But the truth quickly became apparent.
Bloodied victims ran from the area around the historic Union Station depot as scores of police officers swarmed the scene. Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves confirmed at a press conference that 22 people were wounded, ranging in age from 8-47.
Roughly half of the victims were under 16.
Officer Alayna Gonzalez told USA Today that three juvenile suspects were detained by Kansas City police. One was released when it was determined that they were not involved in the mass shooting.
One of the three was tackled by the crowd and held for officers before being questioned. Several firearms were recovered at the scene by investigators.
Gonzalez said that juvenile prosecutors are working with the police to “review investigative findings and determine applicable charges.”
The startling gunfire erupted near the end of the parade route that had proceeded several miles through the city’s downtown district. Union Station was the focal point for the celebration with speeches delivered by players and coaches for the victorious Chiefs.
The victim who died in the shooting was identified as Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two. She was a popular radio personality on KKFI and hosted the “Taste of Tejano” program.
The station released a statement declaring, “This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC community.”
Seven injured youth were treated and released from Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Chief Nursing Officer Stephanie Meyer told a Thursday press briefing that nine of the eleven minor victims admitted to the hospital suffered from gunshot wounds. The youngest was six.
The three children that are still hospitalized are expected to fully recover. Meyer reported, “They are stabilized. They’re doing well. I think prayers and hope for them is exactly what they need.”
