Kansas City shooting: Two teens charged as children released from hospital
Thousands of fans were gathered in Kansas City to celebrate the Chief’s Super Bowl triumph
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Two juveniles have been charged in connection to Wednesday’s shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade.
“The juveniles are currently detained in secure detention at the Juvenile Detention Center on gun related and resisting arrest charges,” the Jackson County Family Court Division said in a statement. “It is anticipated that additional charges are expected in the future as the investigation by the Kansas City Police Department continues.”
Officials have yet to release the suspects’ names.
Of the 22 people who suffered gunshot injuries during the shooting, more than half of the victims are under the age of 16, police said.
The victims ranged in age from eight to 47 years old.
The deceased has been identified as local DJ and mother-of-two, Elizabeth Lopez-Galvan.
A GoFundMe started by the family of Ms Lopez-Galvan raised more than $190,000 with Taylor Swift donating most of the proceeds.
On the official GoFundMe page, the top donator remains to be Ms Swift, who attended the Super Bowl to cheer on her boyfriend and Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. Ms Swift donated $50,000 twice to the family’s fundraiser and sent her “deepest sympathies and condolences.”
On Saturday, Children’s Mercy hospital announced that all 12 shooting patients were released. A patient at another hospital remains in critical condition.
The same day, more than 100 people gathered in Kansas City for gun safety group Moms Demand Action’s rally calling to end gun violence.
Local officials, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, were also in attendance, according to KSHB.
“I’m angry, I’m frustrated,” volunteer Tara Bennett told the outlet. “I’m frustrated because I know there are things that can be done, we just have to have the courage to do them.”
Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca also shared his experience at Wednesday’s shooting. He said he was with his daughter.
“She said, ‘Daddy this is a drill right? This is a drill?’” Mr Abarca recalled his daughter asking him. “I said, ‘Yes, it is,’ because in that moment I needed her to act like it was a drill.”
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A survivor of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting recounted the moments before gunfire in an interview with CBS Mornings.
Jacob Gooch said he heard a woman say, presumably to the shooter, “don’t do it.”
“I personally did not see the shooter,” Mr Gooch said. “I heard the altercation of a girl or some girls like ‘don’t do it, not here this is stupid’ or something like that. And then the gunshots, which at the time I thought were fireworks.”
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Kansas City shooting survivor reveals moment woman begged shooter ‘don’t do it’
Jacob Gooch said he, his wife and son were shot at the parade on Wednesday
The latest on the two teens detained
Two teens were charged earlier this week; their names were not released.
“The juveniles are currently detained in secure detention at the Juvenile Detention Center on gun related and resisting arrest charges,” the Division said in a statement.
“It is anticipated that additional charges are expected in the future as the investigation by the Kansas City Police Department continues.”
It appears the shooting stemmed from a dispute between two individuals.
What was the response by law enforcement?
Over 800 law enforcement officers were present for the event. “I’m angry at what happened today,” Chief Graves told reporters.
“People who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment. We had over 800 law enforcement officers from Kansas City and other agencies at the location to keep everyone safe because of bad actors, which were very few.
“This tragedy occurred even in the presence of uniformed law enforcement officers who again ran towards them and took them into custody.
“To the people who were injured in this tragedy. Our hearts go out to you and your families.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said that the White House had also offered federal assistance with the ongoing investigation. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Lucas also thanked law enforcement.
“This is absolutely a tragedy the likes of which we would have never expected in Kansas City and the likes of which we will remember for some time,” he said.
“However, I want to say thank you to those who are making sure that we are safe today.
“Those who are investigating this incident and those who will continue to make sure that those who committed these acts today are brought to justice.”
The tragic death of a mother-of-two
Among the 23 people shot, one woman – Lisa Lopez-Galvan – was killed.
Lopez-Galvan was a 43-year-old mother-of-two and beloved local radio DJ. She died on scene, police said.
Her adult son and cousins, believed to be minors, also may have been wounded in the shooting, The Kansas City Star reported.
Beto Lopez, the victim’s brother, told ABC News that his sister “loved her family” and had a “life-of-the-party” personality.
“She was dearly loved in this community and gave a lot back,” Mr Lopez said.
Ms Lopez-Galvan’s two adult children and two other relatives – daughters of her cousin – were also with her at the parade, The Kansas City Star reports. Ms Lopez-Galvan’s son was shot and has since been released from the hospital, according to the outlet.
The two young girls were also struck, but their wounds are not life-threatening, a relative told The Kansas City Star.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife visited the two girls – eight and ten years old – in the hospital. KMBC reported that both girls are in recovery after undergoing surgery, with doctors expecting them to remain in casts for several months.
“While we are relieved by their progress, the emotional healing continues for all of us,” the girls’ family said in a statement.
“The girls were celebrating with many family members when they were senselessly injured. We kindly ask that you continue to keep our family and the other families affected in your thoughts and prayers.”
Ms Lopez-Galvan worked as a local DJ, with her radio station KKFI also confirming her death in a statement on Wednesday evening.
“It is with sincere sadness and an extremely heavy and broken heart that we let our community know that KKFI DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, host of Taste of Tejano, lost her life today in the shooting at the KC Chiefs’ rally,” the station said.
Taylor Swift makes a generous donation to victim’s family
Taylor Swift donated $100,000 to the family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the 44-year-old woman who was shot and killed at the parade.
The Grammy winner wrote a poignant message on the GoFundMe page created with the goal of raising an additional $75,000 for the “Elizabeth Lopez-Galvan Memorial”.
“Sending my deepest sympathies and condolences in the wake of your devastating loss. With love, Taylor Swift,” her comment read.
Though the goal was set to $75,000, the page has already brought in $221,384 in donations. Swift started by sending $50,000, then sent an additional $50,000 approximately eight minutes later. The “Anti-Hero” singer was not at the event in Kansas City due to a scheduled Eras Tour show in Australia.
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Taylor Swift donates $100,000 to GoFundMe of woman killed during Chiefs parade
Swift made two $50,000 donations to a GoFundMe page eight minutes apart
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Kansas City tragedy marked 48th mass shooting this year
The Missouri shooting that has left dozens injured and one dead marks the 48th mass shooting in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as when four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a press conference on Thursday that half of the victims shot in the attack are children while one victim – a 43-year-old mother-of-two – died.
Updates from the hospital
On Saturday, Children’s Mercy hospital announced that all 12 shooting patients were released — 11 of whom were children and nine of whom suffered gunshot wounds, Fox4 reported.
Three patients are being cared for at another hospital — University Health — and one of whom remains in critical condition.
Kansas City rally calls to end gun violence
More than 100 people gathered in Kansas City on Saturday for gun safety group Moms Demand Action’s rally calling to end gun violence.
Local officials, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, were also in attendance, according to KSHB.
“I’m angry, I’m frustrated,” volunteer Tara Bennett told the outlet. “I’m frustrated because I know there are things that can be done, we just have to have the courage to do them.”
Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca also shared his experience at Wednesday’s shooting. He said he was with his daughter.
“She said, ‘Daddy this is a drill right? This is a drill?’” Mr Abarca recalled his daughter asking him. “I said, ‘Yes, it is,’ because in that moment I needed her to act like it was a drill.”
Trey Filter was standing among a sea of around one million people who lined the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade route on Wednesday when he heard the shots ring out.
The lifelong Chiefs fan initially thought it was firecrackers going off, before a sense of panic swept through the crowd.
“There was a huge commotion. It felt like there was a rat loose or something,” he told The Independent in a phone interview on Thursday morning.
Mr Filter, who was attending Wednesday’s victory parade with his wife Casey and their sons Gage, 15, and Levi, 12, said dozens of crowdgoers began rushing past them.
He heard the crowd yelling “get him, get him”, and turned around to see a “flash” as a person ran past.
“My brain was just doing the math and I went for him.”
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Hero Kansas City Chiefs fan said he acted on instinct as he tackled suspected gunman
Kansas City fan Trey Filter told The Independent that he was ‘fully adrenalised’ as he held down a Super Bowl parade shooting suspect, while his wife Casey grabbed the firearm