Chiefs embrace hurting Kansas City community as shooting investigation continues with 2 teens charged. Here’s what we know
By Ashley R. Williams, CNN
(CNN) — Kansas City continued mourning after a mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally left a mother of two dead and injured more than 20 others – including children – as investigators worked to figure out exactly how the violence unfolded.
Authorities on Friday said two teenagers would face charges connected to the deadly shooting on the west side of Union Station that sent frightened Chiefs fans running for cover following the parade that an estimated 1 million people attended on Wednesday.
The suspected juveniles, Kansas City police chief Stacey Graves said on Friday, “hurt innocent people” while “simultaneously scarring an entire community” after a joyous afternoon was transformed into one of panic and fear as gunfire was mistaken for fireworks.
This week, the Kansas City Chiefs – some of whom were still on the stage after the rally ended and the sounds of bullets pierced the air – embraced the still-reeling community, giving back through emergency funds for victims and families and visiting injured children in the hospital.
Meanwhile, investigators, who recovered multiple guns from the scene, continue to piece together what unfolded Wednesday and say analyzing recovered bullets will help determine which gun was responsible for the death and injuries, a law enforcement source told CNN on Friday.
The shooting on Wednesday marked at least the 48th mass shooting to happen in the United States so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which like CNN counts those in which four or more are shot, not including a perpetrator.
It also marked the second time within a year that gunfire rang out at a major US sports title celebration after two people were wounded in June as Denver fans left a parade for the NBA’s Nuggets.
Here’s what we know about the shooting and investigation.
Shooting stemmed from dispute, police say
More than 800 police officers were in the area of Union Station for the victory rally when the shooting began, Police chief Stacey Graves said. As celebrations wrapped up, confetti was still floating toward the ground when attendees reported hearing an altercation and seeing a gun get drawn, CNN previously reported.
“People had started backing up, and then he pulled it out,” Jacob Gooch Sr., who attended the rally with his wife, daughter and son, told CBS, “and just started shooting and spinning in a circle.”
Screams were heard, and people scattered in fear.
Manny Abarca, a Jackson County legislator, told CNN’s Laura Coates a warning quickly spread as a flood of people ran for safety: “Guns, police, run.”
The shooting appears to have been a “dispute between several people that ended in gunfire” and there is no indication of a “nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism,” the Kansas City police chief said.
43-year-old woman killed, several kids hurt
The gunfire killed Elizabeth “Lisa” Lopez-Galvan, a 43-year-old mother and DJ who was remembered as an avid Kansas City Chiefs fan with a natural gift for bringing laughter to those she knew.
Lopez-Galvan spent her Tuesday nights co-hosting the “A Taste of Tejano” show on KKFI radio 90.1 FM, a noncommercial, community radio station where she volunteered.
At least 23 others were injured – almost half of whom were children.
CNN spoke with four hospitals that received 29 patients in the shooting’s aftermath, and officials said 19 of those hurt were treated for gunshot injuries.
Children’s Mercy Hospital received 12 patients following the shooting that included one adult and 11 children between 6 and 15 years old. Nine of the children had suffered gunshot wounds, according to Stephanie Meyer, the hospital’s chief nursing officer.
The hospital announced Saturday all patients received from the shooting had been released.
At a Saturday rally against gun violence, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas talked about how the violence of the shooting made him rethink bringing his 3-year-old child to places.
“I’m just a guy who wants to make sure that I can drop my kid off at a daycare without the fear of him being shot, and we can go to a park without the fear of him being shot, and we can go to a parade without the fear of him being shot,” Lucas said.
The mayor added he and his family never expected having to run for their lives during such a joyous occasion.
“My friends, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Lucas said.
2 teens face charges connected to shooting
Two teenagers face gun-related and resisting arrest charges in the deadly shooting. Additional charges are expected to be filed as the investigation continues, according to the Office of the Juvenile Officer.
“We will not relent until everyone who may have played a part in these crimes is apprehended so that they may be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” Graves said on Friday.
In addition to examining bullets and shell casings left at the scene, investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives plan to look into whether those match any guns or weapons in databases, a law enforcement source told CNN.
Chiefs give back to hurting community
The Kansas City Chiefs and the United Way of Greater Kansas City launched KC Strong, an emergency response fund to help the shooting victims and their families, the team announced on X Friday.
The team said it contributed $200,000 to the fund “supporting victims and their families, violence prevention and mental health services, and first responders,” according to the post.
The team’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and his wife, Brittany, visited two young sisters who were shot in the leg, their family said in a statement.
The siblings, ages 8 and 10, posed for photos in their hospital rooms with the Mahomes couple.
Meanwhile, honorary Chief Taylor Swift made two $50,000 donations to a GoFundMe for the family of Lopez-Galvan. A representative for the singer, who is dating the team’s tight end Travis Kelce, confirmed to CNN the donation from Swift.
CNN’s Alisha Ebrahimji, Alaa Elassar, Kevin Dotson, Caroll Alvarado, Megan Thomas, Michelle Krupa, and Sarah Dewberry contributed to this report.
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