15 February 2024 , 04:02
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Travis Kelce, the star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is 'heartbroken' over a shooting that took place during the team's Super Bowl victory parade.
He shared on social media: "I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today," and "My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me."
His teammates Patrick Mahomes and Drue Tranquill also posted messages of support. Mahomes simply wrote: "Praying for Kansas City," while Tranquill asked for prayers for the victims, saying: "Please join me in prayer for all the victims in this heinous act."
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The Chiefs organisation also released a statement expressing their sadness and gratitude towards law enforcement and emergency personnel.
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The shooting happened near Union Station, where the Chiefs' victory parade in Kansas City was due to end. The parade, which started at 11 a.m. local time, was expected to attract more than one million people. Police believe there were three suspects, with two being caught shortly after the shooting began.
Videos on social media show people running and ducking for cover, at 11 children were injured during the shooting (Getty Images)One person died and 22 others were hurt in the shooting. The person who died was a local radio DJ and mum-of-two, Lisa Lopez-Galvan. Among the injured were eight children.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves expressed her anger about Wednesday's events on MSNBC. She said: "The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment. We had over 800 law enforcement officers, Kansas City, and other agencies, at the location to keep everyone safe,"
She added: "Because of bad actors, which were very few, this tragedy occurred even in the presence of uniformed law enforcement officers who ran towards them and brought them into custody."
"To the people injured in this tragedy, our hearts go out to you and your families. This investigation is just beginning and we are working safely to clear all surrounding areas and businesses. This is still an active investigation and we will continue to keep you updated."
This shocking incident has once again ignited heated discussions about gun violence in America on social media. Many are calling for better measures to tackle the worrying trend, with spectators eagerly waiting to see if the words of public figures like Kelce, Mahomes and others make any change.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story