Terrified revelers recall heart-stopping moment gunfire erupted at Kansas City Chiefs parade
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: The jubilant atmosphere of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade took a dark and terrifying turn as gunfire erupted, leaving revelers in a state of panic and confusion.
Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two who co-hosted KKFI's 'A Taste of Tejano' was killed and nearly 22 others were wounded during the gunfire on Wednesday, February 14, afternoon in Union Station.
Witnesses recall the startling shift from fireworks to fear
Madison Anderes, who attended the parade with her family, initially mistook the shots for a “string of fireworks," before chaos ensued. It was not until a man seated ahead of them began screaming, “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun” the family started to run.
"That’s when all chaos broke out. I felt like I was going to die, I felt like a sitting duck, and I was going to get shot," she recounted, as per CNN.
Here is the moment the gunfire broke out at the Kansas City Chiefs Superbowl Parade.
— Byron (@1ByronWileyAmy1) February 15, 2024
Why bring rifles and shoot with so many innocent bystanders in a crowd!!???#ChiefsParade #KansasCitypic.twitter.com/HPcIwKT1MK
Kind stranger guides legally blind mother to safety
Amidst the pandemonium, stories of heroism emerged. A legally blind mother, separated from her family during the commotion, was guided to safety by a compassionate stranger who took charge in the midst of the crisis.
“He’s like, ‘Hey, shots fired,’ I’m like, ‘I am legally blind, can you please just help me get to safety?’ and he took me by my arm and he just took charge,” she said. "I'm extremely thankful for him, if he's watching, thank you," she expressed, NBC reported.
BREAKING: Multiple people were shot in Kansas City near the Chiefs Super Bowl parade and two people are in custody, police say. https://t.co/Caws11kWG0 pic.twitter.com/oh2xQhpxJG
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 14, 2024
Fellow revelers grapple with the shocking reality
Kevin Sanders, initially dismissing the sounds as fireworks, only realized the gravity of the situation when ambulances rushed to the scene. "It sucks that someone had to ruin the celebration, but we are in a big city," Sanders lamented, encapsulating the collective sentiment of the revelers whose joy turned to horror.
In a poignant moment, a mother and daughter, caught in the crossfire, sought to shield each other from danger. “So we just dropped to the ground,” the witness, known only as Amy said recalling how her daughter “started to climb on top of me to protect me, and I tried to just hold her so nothing would happen to her.” "Coming down here to celebrate on such a sad note, it's devastating."
As the city grapples with the aftermath, at least two individuals have been taken into custody by the police.