Analysing the shooting that occurred after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory parade ended, resulting in at least one death and 29 injuries
• Also: Chiefs are Champions once again!
• Also: “This is just the beginning of the dynasty”: Patrick Mahomes not satisfied with Chiefs’ success
• Also: “I owe my career to Andy Reid”: Travis Kelce remorseful
Gunshots were fired around Union Station in downtown Kansas City as approximately one million people were gathered nearby.
One person has died, and 19 others have reportedly been hit by gunfire according to local authorities. Eight of the injured are in critical condition, and seven others are in serious condition.
Ten other people are believed to have suffered injuries during the events, bringing the total to at least 29 injured.
Three suspects have been apprehended by authorities, and no information about the motives behind the shooters’ actions is currently known.
PhotoAFP
A man in a red tracksuit is among the individuals arrested, according to AFP journalists.
Getty Images via AFP
A widely circulated video on social media suggests that Chiefs fans may have apprehended one of the alleged perpetrators of the shooting.
The police are still trying to establish if one of the three suspects held is the individual who was intercepted by fans in this video.
“Any person in the vicinity should leave the area quickly to facilitate the assistance of the gunshot victims. Please avoid parking at Union Station to allow first responders to pass,” the police also wrote on X.
The incident abruptly ended the festivities, causing the vast majority of people near the scene and the station to run in all directions.
AFP
“I thought they were fireworks,” John O’Connor told The Kansas City Star, explaining that he heard “between 15 and 20 shots in a brief period of time.”
Reactions
The Kansas City Chiefs organization has responded to the event in a statement, expressing their sadness about the “senseless acts of violence that occurred outside Union Station after today’s parade.”
“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and the city of Kansas City,” they added. “We confirm that all our players, coaches, employees, and their families are safe.”
The team’s star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, posted a message on X saying, “Praying for Kansas City.”
The Mayor and Chief of Police of Kansas City also addressed the events at two press conferences.
“I am angry about what happened today,” said Kansas City Chief of Police Stacey Graves. “People who came to celebrate today should have expected a safe environment.”
“There were over 800 Kansas City police officers and other agency officers on the site to ensure the safety of everyone,” she continued. “Due to someone being ill-intentioned, this reprehensible act was committed.”
People who came to celebrate today should have expected a safe environment – Press conference with the Chief of Police and Mayor of Kansas City
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas lamented the fact that there is “always a risk” of a shooting at public events in the United States.
He also stated that authorities have been in contact with the White House, which has offered federal assistance.
Proliferation
The United States pays a heavy price for the proliferation of firearms and the ease with which Americans have access to them.
The country has more individual firearms than inhabitants: one in three adults owns at least one firearm, and nearly one in two adults lives in a household with a firearm.
The consequence of this proliferation is the very high rate of firearm deaths in the United States, incomparable to that of other developed countries.
Approximately 49,000 people died from gunshot wounds in 2021, compared to 45,000 in 2020, which was already a record year. This represents over 130 deaths per day, more than half of which are suicides.
However, mass shootings are what most mark the minds of the people, illustrating the ideological divide between conservatives and progressives on how to prevent such tragedies.
Recent American history is marked by shootings in seemingly everyday places, from businesses to churches, supermarkets, nightclubs, public places, and public transportation.
PhotoAFP
Among all these massacres, some particularly tragic shootings in schools have shocked public opinion, such as the one in 2012 at an elementary school in Connecticut, during which 20 children aged 6 and 7 were killed.
AFP
The United States Congress has not passed any comprehensive legislation, with many officials being under the influence of the powerful National Rifle Association (NRA), the leading American gun lobby.
Getty Images via AFP
As a result, in a country where the possibility of owning a firearm is considered by millions of Americans as a fundamental constitutional right, the only recent legislative advances remain marginal, such as the widespread implementation of background checks before purchasing a firearm. criminal and psychiatric history.
-In collaboration with Agence France-Presse
