Chiefs players send prayers after shooting derails Super Bowl parade, President Biden calls for gun control
Kansas City's day of celebration was turned into a tragedy Wednesday when a mass shooting derailed the Chief's Super Bowl parade.
As of Wednesday afternoon, two suspects are in custody with one person confirmed dead and 22 other people injured by gunshots. Per KMBC's Mat Flener, 11 of the 12 patients at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy hospital were children, nine with gunshot wounds. The identity of the suspects and their motives remain unknown.
No one in the Chiefs organization was among the victims, but the team certainly felt the impact. The players' reactions were nearly immediate, with The MMQB's Albert Breer reporting a group of them helped calm down panicked children. Offensive lineman Tre Smith reportedly gave one kid the Chiefs' WWE belt and sat with him.
Head coach Andy Reid helped too, consoling people who were near the shooting at Union Station, via the Kansas City Star:
“Andy Reid was trying to comfort me, which was nice,” Gabe said, shortly before his voice broke and tears filled his eyes. “… He was kind of hugging me, just like, ‘Are you OK, man? Are you OK? Just please breathe.’ He was being real nice and everything."
“He left to check on other people, I’m pretty sure.”
Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder later tweeted he and Reid were safe and on the bus to Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs tweeted a statement confirming all players, coaches, staff and family members were safe and accounted for, then thanking first responders.
Statement from the Kansas City Chiefs pic.twitter.com/erKsrF3SX8
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 14, 2024
President Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris released statements later Wednesday, with both calling for increased gun control. Both connected Wednesday's shooting to the one that killed 17 students and staff members at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which happened six years ago to the day.
Kansas City.
Atlanta.
D.C.
Today, six years since Parkland, acts of gun violence cut deep in the American soul.
Jill and I pray for those killed and injured today, and for our country to find the resolve to end the senseless epidemic of gun violence tearing us at the seams. pic.twitter.com/sqr5ww1G5O— President Biden (@POTUS) February 15, 2024
As news broke of nearly two dozen people being shot following the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade, I was brought back to Valentine’s Day 2018 when we learned of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
I join all those across America who are saying the same thing we said…— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) February 15, 2024
Meanwhile, more than a dozen Chiefs players sent out messages on social media with prayers for Kansas City, including Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes:
Praying for Kansas City… 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 14, 2024
I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today. My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.
— Travis Kelce (@tkelce) February 15, 2024
Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act.
Pray that doctors & first responders would have steady hands & that all would experience full healing.— Drue Tranquill (@DTranquill) February 14, 2024
Praying for everyone today in Kansas City 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— Donovan Smith (@DSmith_76) February 14, 2024
My thoughts and prayers🙏🏾 are with everyone affected by today's incidents—a huge thank you to the first responders who ran towards the sound of danger. You're the ones who should be celebrated today.
— Trey Smith (@treysmith) February 14, 2024
Praying for everyone in Kansas City at the parade
— Justin Reid (@JustinqReid) February 14, 2024
Pray for KC🙏🏽
— JASON ‘CHU’ GODRICK (@Ebuka_G) February 14, 2024
Praying for everyone involved. https://t.co/C0fxgsfm4n
— Creed Humphrey (@creed_humphrey) February 14, 2024
Damn KC Praying for the families 🙏🏾
— Jody 2x (@notyourjody) February 14, 2024
Get the hate out y’all hearts!! Praying for the Kingdom 🙏🏽
— Trent McDuffie (@trent_mcduffie) February 14, 2024
Praying for all the victims and families that just wanted to come show support for the kingdom🫶🏽
— Wat’s Island🏝 (@JaylenWatson12) February 14, 2024
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
— 💎Darian Kinnard💎 (@Darian_70) February 14, 2024
Defensive end Charles Omenihu and safety Justin Reid had particularly pointed messages, calling for a change to gun laws in light of yet another mass shooting.
Prayers for those affected at today’s parade. A time of celebration ends in tragedy. When are we going to fix these gun laws ? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough ? It’s too easy for the wrong people to obtain guns in America and that’s a FACT.
— Charles Omenihu (@charless_94) February 14, 2024
This 🤬 is SAD man! Kids are being shot and somebody didn’t come home tonight. We cannot allow this to be normal. We cannot ourselves to become numb and chalk it up to “just another shooting in America” and reduce people in statistics and then move on tmrw.
This is a SERIOUS…— Justin Reid (@JustinqReid) February 15, 2024
Several other NFL players, including former Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill and quarterback Chase Daniel, also responded to the news:
Prayers for everyone in Kansas City 🙏🏽 why turn something so positive into this.
— The Chosen Juan👑🙇🏽♂️ (@Juan_Thornhill) February 14, 2024
Praying for KC….just tragic news.
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) February 14, 2024
Bro folks can’t even celebrate a Super Bowl 🤦🏾♂️ we gotta do better man thoughts and prayers to everyone out there!
— Trending Topic 🤷🏾♂️ (@BigTicket73) February 14, 2024
A shooting at the Chiefs parade?? This is madness. Prayers out to everyone affected by this shooting. How long are we gonna ignore this? I’ve never seen a fight at a Super Bowl parade let alone a shooting 🤦🏾♂️ #ChiefsParade
— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) February 14, 2024
Evil world man 😡😡😡… and people still wonder why I don’t like leaving my house… We need Jesus ‼️
— Phillip Dorsett II (@Dorsett_4) February 14, 2024
So frustrating…. Prayers for and Love sent to all those involved. Also I pray that this leads to action!
Let our 🙏 ‘s and thoughts lead to our passion to cause change! https://t.co/iSDCABtULc— Andrew Whitworth (@AndrewWhitworth) February 14, 2024
The NFL and several other teams also sent out messages of support:
— NFL (@NFL) February 14, 2024
Statement from the Baltimore Ravens: pic.twitter.com/weWCJmc5Vw
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 14, 2024
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 14, 2024
Statement from the New England Patriots: pic.twitter.com/MHDo1vcTC0
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) February 14, 2024
Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and all of Chiefs Kingdom following today's senseless act of violence. 🙏🧡 https://t.co/sO3cOG7tgV
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) February 14, 2024
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, the community and the Kansas City Chiefs 💙 https://t.co/m9GeuOjs5R
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) February 14, 2024