Gunfire at Kansas City parade not terrorism-related, police say

Less than 24 hours after shootings killed one person and injured 22 others, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said Thursday morning that the incident had “no nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism.” Instead, the incident appeared to be set off by a dispute among several people that resulted in gunfire, she said.

What do we know about the people who were injured? Police identified the deceased victim as a 43-year-old woman. The 22 injured victims are between the ages of 8 and 47, with half of them under the age of 16, police said. Of the 22 wounded victims, Kansas City Fire Chief Ross Grundyson said eight were transported to the hospital in critical condition. Six of those injured were in serious condition, and the remainder had minor injuries.

What do we know about the suspects? Graves said two of the three people taken into custody for questioning were juveniles. She also said police had recovered several firearms believed to be related to the incident. She also confirmed early reports that civilians “bravely” helped law enforcement and “physically stopped” and caught at least one of the suspects. She added that, “I’m angered by what occurred in our city yesterday, but I’m also thankful for the response.” By early Friday morning, the two juveniles were still held by police, while the adult had been released.

How will this affect Kansas City celebrations in the future? The shootings took place just before 2 p.m. at the end of a parade to celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII win. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told a reporter that the shooting wouldn’t stop parades in the city.

Dig Deeper: Read Jennifer Bennett’s firsthand account of how God’s presence helped her survive the 2013 Navy Yard shooting.