The Kansas City Super Bowl Parade recording: What we know
A shooting near Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, left one person dead and at least 21 others with gunshot wounds, including nine children, on Wednesday afternoon.
The eruption of violence came as thousands of people gathered for a public celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl victory, turning a day of joy and civic pride into one of loss and fear.
Here's what we know so far about the shooting:
The motive is unknown and no suspect has been named.
It was unclear who was responsible for the shooting.
Three people had been arrested, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said, but she did not name them. Investigators had not identified a motive, she added, and were counting the number of bullets fired.
The chief asked the public to provide videos or other information that could help authorities determine what happened.
Many of the injured were children.
Chief Graves said Wednesday that authorities are still working to identify the deceased victim and notify the person's family.
Medical centers in the area admitted more than 20 patients, hospital officials said.
Children's Mercy Hospital said it treated 11 children, ages 6 to 15, and a mother who did not want to abandon her child during the shooting. Nine of the children suffered gunshot wounds. None of the children were in critical condition and all were expected to recover.
Twelve people were taken to University Health, formerly Truman Medical Center. Eight of them were treated for gunshot wounds, two of whom were in critical condition.
And one gunshot victim was in critical condition at St. Luke's Hospital. Three other people arrived with injuries.
The location of the shooting was a focal point for the day's events.
Kansas City's victory celebration included a parade through the city's center and ended with a rally in front of Union Station, an Amtrak interchange and tourist attraction.
“As soon as the meeting ended, shots were fired on the west side of Union Station,” Chief Graves said, adding, “I know one of the suspects was immediately pursued on foot.”
As the chaos broke out, many attendees said it was difficult to know where to go.
At first, the shots sounded like fireworks, said Ian Johnson, who was selling hot dogs near the main event stage. It wasn't until the fans started running — some of them sheltering under his hot dog tent — that he realized a shooting was in progress.
Courtney Brown, of Independence, Mo., and her two sons were also near the stage when the gunfire started. She didn't hear any shots, she said. But she did hear someone shouting, “Go downstairs.”
Her instincts told her to run, so she told her children to keep moving. “We almost got trampled twice,” she said. All three linked arms and crouched close to a barricade until the hustle and bustle of the crowd had subsided.
The team was accompanied at the meeting by the region's political leaders.
Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas had to be evacuated and posted on social media that she was “out of danger.” Missouri Governor Mike Parson and his wife were both “safe” in the governor's office said.
The football team said all their players, staff and families also left the event safely.
Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback who led his team to victory on Sunday, said that he “prayed for Kansas City” on social media.
Other players shared similar messages of support to the community gathered downtown.
Guard Trey Smith Thank you the rescue personnel “who ran toward the sound of danger,” and linebacker Drue Tranquill recognized the efforts of doctors who cared for the people who had been shot. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a receiver who caught a touchdown in Sunday's game, was looking to connect with the children being treated at a local children's hospital, offering them support “in whatever way we can.”
Reporting was contributed by Traci Angel, Kevin Draper, Colbi Edmonds Jacey Fortin, Jesus Jimenez, Ben Schpigel And Jenny Vrentas.