Lyndell Mays: Super Bowl parade shooting suspect admits to firing first as family starts GoFundMe
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: Teneal Burnsside, the mother of the man facing murder charges in connection with the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting, has established a GoFundMe campaign for him.
It's worth noting that Mays was one of the individuals shot during the celebration on February 14.
Before Mays being charged by the police, his mother sought financial assistance by creating a page where she detailed his difficult situation.
Furthermore, Mays' mother and sister have begun to challenge the prosecution's accusations against Mays. Both have acknowledged Mays' involvement in firing shots and possessing a weapon during the parade shooting.
Law enforcement in Kansas City reported that Lyndell Mays confessed to firing the initial shots at the Chiefs' Super Bowl parade last week. He allegedly followed up by acknowledging that he "shouldn't have done that," as per TMZ Sports.
What did Lyndell Mays' mother claim?
Lyndell Mays' mother initiated a fundraising effort for her son, who is accused of being the shooter, at 23 years old, complete with a photo of him severely injured in his hospital bed. She managed to collect $100 before the fundraiser was removed.
However, prosecutors asserted that Mays was one of the two individuals responsible for the tragic incident.
Mays' mother stated, “He is in ICU fighting for a recovery from several surgeries, from going to the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration parade with his older sister.”
She further remarked, “Getting shot multiple times at a time that was meant to bring so much joy to many has bought pain and sadness to all that was attending.”
Following the shooting at the parade, Mays was charged with second-degree murder for the death of DJ Lisa Lopes-Flavan.
Additionally, he faces charges of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the shooting incident on Valentine's Day at the Super Bowl LVIII.
The charges prompted Mays' anonymous sister to defend him and label him as a protector.
Lyndell Mays' sister refuted allegations placed on her brother
The sister of Lyndell Mays, who is accused of murder, said, "For them to make my brother out to be a monster, it really hurts me inside because he was only trying to protect us," as per Dailymail.
She explained, "He doesn’t deserve to be thrown in it like that, My brother is tall and broad, he’s hefty. They were young kids and little guys, trying to prove a point."
She described the situation, saying, "They had been looking at him and they approached us, they walked close and they had been staring at him. We can see that they have guns in their pockets. We never walked up to them, they walked up to us."
She recalled, "I asked one boy his age, and he said 15. I told them we're here to celebrate, not to fight."
She said the leader of the group told his friends to attack before she tried to calm things down.
She continued, “I turned around and I heard the gunshots, and it was in slow motion. Everything was happening and I was trying to get out of harm’s way but I did see my brother shooting back."
She added, “The bullets were flying at him, he wasn’t shooting at them he was just shooting. I see him fall to the ground. There was a nurse who helped us, and saved his life."
Mays' family acknowledged he should face charges for having a weapon and firing into a crowd but criticized prosecutors for charging him with murder.
His sister questioned prosecutors, “But at the same time who is going to be a protector for us. People don’t understand what I witnessed, and I saw, however they released it they turned everything around and it makes me so angry."
What did Lyndell Mays’ father claim?
The father expressed his concern, questioning what his son was supposed to do when approached by individuals wielding semi-automatic weapons. He emphasized that it was not his son's gun that caused the woman's death.
It's important to mention that at least 30 individuals were injured in the shooting incident. Among them, one person was killed, and 25 sustained gunshot wounds.
Police confirmed that the injured individuals ranged in age from eight to 47, with half of them being under the age of 16.
The father conveyed a sense of fear, highlighting the hate directed towards an innocent individual, who had received death threats.
He pondered on the potential consequences for their family, describing the situation as a nightmare.
Additionally, he defended his son's character, portraying him as a kindhearted individual who found himself in a challenging situation.
The father noted that his son became scared upon seeing the guns, questioning what he was expected to do in such a threatening scenario. He emphasized that his son did not initiate the shooting.
