Kansas Metropolis police chief Stacey Graves confirmed one particular person has been declared lifeless following gunshots firing through the Tremendous Bowl celebration parade on Wednesday. The full variety of victims was nonetheless unknown, however the chief famous it could possibly be upwards of 10 to fifteen.
Police additionally mentioned that two folks had been detained. Followers had been urged to exit the realm as shortly as attainable.
The capturing broke the celebratory temper on Valentine’s Day as Chiefs followers marked their third Tremendous Bowl title in 5 seasons with a parade.
“We’re stacking up trophies,” linebacker Drue Tranquill mentioned as he grabbed a reporter’s mic throughout Wednesday’s festivities to mark the Chiefs’ come-from-behind, 25-22 extra time win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Confetti cannons exploded from double-decker buses as gamers rolled by the group, DJs and drummers heralding their arrival. Throngs lined the route, with followers climbing bushes and avenue poles, or standing on rooftops for a greater view. Proprietor Clark Hunt was on a type of buses, holding the Lombardi Trophy. Former Trendy Household star Eric Stonestreet was a part of the mob.
“Finest followers on the earth,” exclaimed huge receiver Mecole Hardman, who caught the successful landing move, as he walked alongside the route, with the gamers signing jerseys and at the least one particular person’s head.
“By no means cease,” working again Isiah Pacheco added from the route.
Key on the minds of many followers was whether or not pop celebrity Taylor Swift would be a part of her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, for the parade and victory speeches. Swift has not commented. She has a present in Melbourne, Australia, on Friday night time, the primary of three scheduled live shows on her Eras Tour.
She was nowhere to be seen early within the parade. As a substitute, Kelce was joined by his mother, Donna Kelce, the celebrity of NFL mothers (her oldest son, Jason Kelce, is a middle for the Philadelphia Eagles).
Unseasonably heat temperatures within the 60s Fahrenheit (15-20 Celsius) had gamers stripping off shirts. The climate additionally helped generate a crowd that metropolis officers estimate might prime 1 million.
“I missed final 12 months. I mentioned, ‘I’m not lacking this 12 months,’” mentioned longtime fan Charles Smith Sr., who flew from his dwelling in Sicklerville, New Jersey, for the parade.
Recognized by pals as Kansas Metropolis Smitty, the 52-year-old first turned a Chiefs fan when Christian Okoye performed fullback for the crew beginning within the late Eighties.
“I received a historical past with this crew,” he mentioned, including that he ran out of his dwelling with a large flag, screaming “Kansas Metropolis,” when the Chiefs clinched the victory in extra time.
Town and the crew every chipped in round $1 million for the occasion commemorating Kelce, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs turning into the primary crew to defend their title since Tom Brady and the New England Patriots twenty years in the past.
Some followers camped in a single day and others started to stake out spots earlier than daybreak to catch prime viewing spots. Bailey McDermott, 17, and Gracie Gilby, 16, of Lebanon, Missouri, received up at 3 a.m. to make the three-hour drive to the parade. That they had a celebration to look at the sport, confetti poppers erupting when the Chiefs received.
“Form of freaking out on the finish,” mentioned Gilby, who wore a sequined Chiefs jerseys with Kelce’s No. 87 on it. McDermott additionally had a sequined jersey, hers bearing Mahomes’ No. 15.
Lots of the largest college districts within the space canceled lessons, and companies alongside the parade path turned the day right into a viewing get together for his or her employees. At the very least 600 Kansas Metropolis law enforcement officials had been stationed alongside the the 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) route, police Chief Stacey Graves mentioned.
Teenagers and youthful children had been in all places, some tossing footballs, others watching replays of recreation highlights on big TV screens.
Amongst them was Elysseah Buford and her good friend, Devaun Burns, who watched the sport in between taking orders at McDonald’s. “We’re dropping. We’re dropping,” Buford recalled saying. However Burns scolded her, whilst a supervisor declared that the sport was a misplaced trigger: “I mentioned, ’Don’t communicate it. Imagine it.’”
The 18-year-old highschool seniors from Raymore joined the festivities with one other good friend, 17-year-old Mekiyzeion Williams, who dared to ask what would have occurred if Hardman missed the TD catch. “Shut up,” Burns mentioned.
After many years with out a championship, town is gaining expertise with victory parades. 5 seasons in the past, the Chiefs defeated the 49ers for the crew’s first Tremendous Bowl championship in 50 years. That adopted the Kansas Metropolis Royals successful the World Collection in 2015, town’s first baseball championship in 30 years. That 12 months, followers deserted their vehicles on the facet of the freeway so they may stroll to the celebration.
Then, final 12 months, the Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 and prophetically vowed they’d be again for extra.
One huge change this 12 months is that the parade received began one hour earlier at 11 a.m. so the group will dissipate earlier than the Valentine’s Day dinner crowd exhibits up.
After the large cleanup, the crew will get able to strive for an additional championship.
“It by no means will get outdated,” Kansas Metropolis Mayor Quinton Lucas posted on X, previously referred to as Twitter, earlier than becoming a member of the celebration.
Feb. 14, 1:55 pm. Up to date with new data from Kansas Metropolis Police surrounding sufferer’s dying and new sufferer estimates.
