Kansas City Chiefs Athletes ‘Reached Out’ to Children’s Hospital After Super Bowl Parade Shooting
The Kansas City Chiefs athletes are supporting the victims of the 2024 Super Bowl parade shooting.
“The Chiefs players have been extremely supportive, as well as the Chiefs organization. They have reached out to us and we’re managing that accordingly,” Lisa Augustine, the senior manager of media relations at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said during a Thursday, February 14, press conference. “We want to make sure that we’re focusing on our patients, and our kids and families first and our staff, and then we will have them help with that.”
Twelve victims from the Wednesday, February 14, shooting, were taken to Children’s Mercy for treatment, 11 of whom were minors aged 6 to 15. Augustine noted on Thursday that nine individuals had suffered gunshot wounds, while the rest had an “incidental injury.” Further details have not been given.
Only three of the patients remain in the hospital, but they are all stable and expected to make full recoveries. The additional shooting victims have already been discharged.
Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl 2024 Parade Shooting: Everything We Know So Far
The Chiefs — led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and coach Andy Reid — had been celebrating their Super Bowl LVIII victory several hours earlier on Wednesday with a championship rally in downtown Kansas City. As the event concluded, shots were fired. Local law enforcement officials confirmed that one attendee, later revealed to be local DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, had died and more than 20 individuals were injured.
The Chiefs organization, which is owned by Clark Hunt, subsequently confirmed that all athletes and staff had been safe and accounted for.
“I just remember the security guards ushering us through the doors quickly, saying, ‘Come on, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up,'” offensive lineman Trey Smith recalled during the Thursday broadcast of Good Morning America. “They said, ‘This is not a joke. It’s a life and death situation.’”
Smith, 24, added: “Right before I run in there, there’s a little kid in front of me so I just grabbed him and yanked him up and said, ‘You’re hopping in here with me, buddy.’ I don’t know how many people were in the closet, maybe 20-plus.”
NFL Stars and Celebrities React to Shooting at Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 Super Bowl Parade
Other NFL players have also been eager to help victims.
“Any chance anyone can help me get in touch with these kids or families? First off I want to make sure they’re doing ok,” wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling wrote via X “But would love to help them out any way I can and get them some stuff from the team to help with the recovery.”
Local police have taken three suspects, two of whom are minors, into custody. An investigation is ongoing.
