Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Beloved radio DJ killed, 21 injured — including 8 children

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A shooting at the end of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration on Wednesday sent terrified fans scrambling for cover and left 21 people wounded — including at least eight children — and a mother of two dead, officials said. 

The shooting was reported outside the city's Union Station amid the presence of 800 police officers who were in the building and nearby, including on top of nearby structures, said Mayor Quinton Lucas.

"Parades, rallies, schools, movies. It seems like almost nothing is safe," Lucas said.

Police Chief Stacey Graves said three people were detained, firearms were recovered and noted that she'd heard that fans may have been involved in apprehending a suspect but couldn’t confirm details. 

Police were still piecing together what happened and did not release details about those who were detained or a possible motive, according to Graves.

"I’m angry at what happened today. The people who came to this celebration should expect a safe environment," Graves said.

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Radio station KKFI said in a Facebook post Wednesday evening that DJ Lisa Lopez, host of "Taste of Tejano," was killed in the shooting.

"This senseless act has taken a beautiful person from her family and this KC Community," KKFI said in a statement.

Lopez-Galvan, whose DJ name was "Lisa G," was an extrovert and devoted mother from a prominent Latino family in the area, said Rosa Izurieta and Martha Ramirez, two childhood friends who worked with her at a staffing company. Izurieta said Lopez-Galvan had attended the parade with her husband and her adult son, a die-hard Kansas City sports fan who also was shot.

"She's the type of person who would jump in front of a bullet for anybody — that would be Lisa," Izurieta said.

Mayor Lucas attended with his wife and mother and ran for safety when the shots rang out.

"I think that’s something that all of us who are parents, who are just regular people living each day, have to decide what we wish to do about," Lucas said. 

The Chiefs released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, which confirmed all of their players, coaches and staff and their families were "safe and accounted for." 

"We are truly saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred outside of Union Station at the conclusion of today's parade and rally. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families, and all of Kansas City. We are in close communication with the Mayor's office as well as the Kansas City Police Department. At this time, we have confirmed that all of our players, coaches, staff and their families are safe and accounted for. We thank the local law enforcement officers and first responders who were on-scene to assist," the statement read. 

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, as well as other Chiefs teammates, called for prayers after the deadly shooting. 

The National Football League also released a statement on X, calling the shooting "senseless." 

"We are deeply saddened by the senseless shooting that occurred today near the end of the rally in Kansas City for the Chiefs. Our thoughts are with the victims and everyone affected. We are grateful for the quick and thorough response of the law enforcement and emergency personnel," the statement read. 

Video from the scene showed victims being loaded into ambulances aboard stretchers as law enforcement officers descended on the spot where, only moments before, Chiefs players and coaches celebrated their second-straight Super Bowl win.

RELATED: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs players call for prayers after shooting erupts at Kansas City Super Bowl parade

Ofilio Martinez, 48, said he heard shots fired a couple blocks away about 10 or 15 minutes before the gunfire near the Union Station rally.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and the first lady were also at the parade when shots were fired but are safe, Parson posted on X.

"State law enforcement personnel are assisting local authorities in response efforts," Parson posted. "As we wait to learn more, our hearts go out to the victims."

Kansas City has long struggled with gun violence, and in 2020 it was among nine cities targeted by the U.S. Justice Department in an effort to crack down on violent crime. In 2023 the city matched a record with 182 homicides, most of which involved guns.

Lucas has joined with mayors across the country in calling for new laws to reduce gun violence, including mandating universal background checks.

University Health spokesperson Nancy Lewis said the hospital was treating eight gunshot victims. Two were in critical condition and six were stable. The hospital also was treating four people for other injuries resulting from the chaos after the shooting, Lewis said.

Stephanie Meyer, chief nursing officer for Children’s Mercy Kansas City, said it was treating 12 patients from the rally, including 11 children between the ages of 6 and 15, many of whom suffered gunshot wounds. All were expected to recover, she said.

When asked about the condition of the children, Meyer responded: "Fear. The one word I would use to describe what we saw and how they came to us was fear."

St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City received one gunshot patient in critical condition, a spokesperson said.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Crime and Public SafetyKansas