Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting falls on 6-year anniversary of Parkland shooting
LOS ANGELES - As the Kansas City Chiefs were celebrating their big Super Bowl win… shots rang out during the parade, ultimately killing one person and injuring 21 others.
A fun day of celebration quickly became dark as fans ran for cover. An event marred by gun violence.
The mass shooting in Kansas City falls on the six-year anniversary of the Parkland High School mass shooting. On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 and injuring 17 others.
The Valentine’s Day massacre inflamed the nation’s debate over guns, turned some Parkland students into political activists and gave rise to some of the biggest youth demonstrations since the Vietnam era.
Suzanne Devine Clark visits a memorial setup at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for those killed during a mass shooting on February 14, 2019 in Parkland, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
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Yet gun violence remains one of the biggest issues in America.
"I’m angry at what happened today. The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment," Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said.
"That's what happens with guns. I won't get in a big debate right now, I think we're still doing an investigation, but I mean what you saw happen is why people talk about guns a lot. We had over 800 officers there, staffed, situated all around Union Station today. We had security in a number of places, eyes on top of buildings and beyond and there still is a risk to people," said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Luca.
"Parades, rallies, schools, movies, it seems like almost nothing is safe," he added.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 49 mass shootings so far in 2024. In 2023, there were 656 mass shootings.
A mass shooting is defined as having a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident.