Kansas Metropolis:

One particular person was killed and a number of youngsters have been amongst 21 injured after a mass taking pictures on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl victory rally on Wednesday triggered panic amongst large crowds of followers.

Kids’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas Metropolis, which takes sufferers as much as the age of 17, mentioned it was treating 12 folks — 11 of them youngsters, 9 for gunshot wounds — after the taking pictures, which unfolded simply moments after Chiefs gamers had addressed an enormous crowd of cheering supporters gathered close by.

Police mentioned three folks had been taken into custody after the incident, however the motive and circumstances behind the taking pictures have been nonetheless below investigation.

Kansas Metropolis hearth division chief Ross Grundyson instructed a press convention that most of the victims had sustained “life-threatening accidents.”

“We had eight what we thought of instantly life-threatening sufferers, we had seven with life-threatening accidents, and had six that had minor accidents,” Grundyson mentioned.

After photographs rang out, shocked followers scrambled to flee to security as police labored to clear Union Station in a tragic finish to what had been a joyous morning of celebration to salute the NFL champions.

Paul Contreras, who was on the rally together with his three daughters, mentioned he tackled and disarmed one of many suspected shooters earlier than the police arrived.

“I bought the fitting angle on him and I hit him from behind. And after I hit him from behind, I both jarred the gun out of his hand or out of his sleeve,” Contreras mentioned on CNN. “I take him down, and I am placing all my physique weight on him. After which one other good Samaritan comes over and helps me.”

Victims have been handled mendacity on the bottom earlier than being carried away on stretchers as crowds streamed previous.

“I am offended at what occurred right now,” Kansas Metropolis Police chief Stacey Graves mentioned. “The individuals who got here to this celebration ought to anticipate a protected setting,” the police chief added.

Kansas Metropolis mayor Quinton Lucas was amongst VIPs on the occasion who have been despatched working for canopy after photographs rang out.

“It is a day that lots of people sit up for. One thing they bear in mind for a lifetime. And what they should not have to recollect is the specter of gun violence,” Lucas mentioned.

The Chiefs in the meantime condemned the taking pictures as mindless.

“We’re actually saddened by the mindless act of violence that occurred outdoors of Union Station on the conclusion of right now’s parade and rally,” the franchise mentioned in a press release.

“Praying for Kansas Metropolis,” Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wrote on social media.

– Enormous crowds –

Simply moments earlier than the taking pictures, Mahomes and his teammates had been absorbing the adulation from a sea of red-shirted followers.

There had been no trace of bother as tons of of 1000’s of partying supporters feted Chiefs gamers alongside a two-mile (three-kilometer) route in a procession of double-decker buses, enveloped by a blizzard of purple and gold confetti.

Native officers mentioned a couple of million folks have been anticipated for the parade, which was held in unseasonably sunny, heat situations in downtown Kansas Metropolis.

Gun violence isn’t unusual at large-scale sporting victory celebrations in North America.

Final yr, 10 folks have been wounded after a taking pictures which erupted in Denver amid followers celebrating the Denver Nuggets’ NBA championship victory.

In 2019, 4 folks have been injured after gunfire broke out close to a parade to honor the Toronto Raptors’ NBA Finals victory in Toronto.

Mass shootings are additionally frequent in america, the place there are extra weapons than folks and a couple of third of adults personal a firearm.

The Chiefs have been celebrating their third Tremendous Bowl title in 5 seasons after beating the San Francisco 49ers in time beyond regulation in Las Vegas on Sunday to cement the crew’s dynasty standing.

The crew’s most well-known fan — music celebrity Taylor Swift, who’s relationship Chiefs icon Travis Kelce — was not a part of the celebrations.

The singer, whose relationship with Kelce grew to become a cultural phenomenon, rushed again to america on Saturday from the most recent leg of her money-spinning world tour to attend Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl.

As Kelce and the Chiefs celebrated on Wednesday, Swift was reportedly en path to Australia the place she is because of carry out in Melbourne on Friday.
 

(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)