One dead and at least 22 injured in shooting near Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade

A blast of gunfire killed one person and injured 22 others outside a landmark railroad station in Kansas City, Missouri, US, where the NFL champions Chiefs were celebrating their Super Bowl victory, sending crowds of onlookers scurrying for safety.

Eight of the victims had life-threatening injuries, the Kansas City police chief Stacey Graves said on Wednesday.

Kansas City police also confirmed that three people were detained in connection with the shooting. At least one firearm was recovered from the scene.

Ms Graves said at a press conference earlier: “At the conclusion of the Chiefs’ rally today, there were shots fired on the west side of Union Station.

The lesson of Joe Biden’s presidency? Charisma and eloquence are overrated

---

Mayoral races could determine if Rishi Sunak sinks or swims

---

Not-so-shaggy dog tale may kill off Kristi Noem’s vice presidential hopes

---

‘I could rent an apartment, but why?’ The teenager who lives on Germany’s high-speed trains

---

“Immediately, officers responded to the area, took two people into custody and also immediately rendered life-sustaining aid to those victims.

“We’re still gathering information on the number and the status of victims. We know that one of the victims is deceased.

At least five of the injured were taken from Union Station to University Health hospital in Kansas City, according to spokesman Keith King.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City hospital was also receiving patients from the incident but could not provide a number, hospital spokesperson Lisa Augustine said.

Eyewitness video posted on social media platforms showed pandemonium outside the station with dozens of uniformed police officers, weapons drawn, running into the building as scores of bystanders fled in the opposite direction.

Rapid-fire gunfire was audible in footage posted online by ABC News.

Missouri governor Mike Parson and his wife were in attendance when shots were fired near the train station, but were safe and secure following the incident, he said in a message posted to X, thanking law enforcement for its response.

Kansas governor Laura Kelly was also present at the rally when the shots were fired.

The Chiefs on Sunday defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime to win the Super Bowl, 25-22.

On June 17th, 1933, Union Station was the site of an outdoor shoot-out and murder of four law enforcement officers and a criminal fugitive in a notorious incident known as the Kansas City Massacre.

NFL video from the Super Bowl celebration showed Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on stage with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and other team-mates, but Kelce’s pop superstar girlfriend, Taylor Swift, was back on tour in Australia at the time.

Mr Mahomes said on X: “Praying for Kansas City,” followed by several praying-hands emojis

Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill, who was at the parade, asked on social media for prayers: “Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.”

Union Station, a 109-year-old Beaux Arts building that once served as a major U.S. rail hub for passenger and freight traffic, is home to a museum and visiting attractions today and a terminal for Amtrak passenger service.

Its website describes its vision to “be Kansas City’s iconic symbol of inclusion, inspiration, lifelong learning, and its centre for civic celebration.”

Wednesday’s violence took place on the sixth anniversary of one of the most famous mass shootings in recent US history, when 17 people were killed and 17 more were injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The gunman in that incident, a former student who was 19 at the time, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. – Reuters/PA/Guardian

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024