By Zack Kershaw
On Wednesday, a celebratory parade turned into a crime scene. The Kansas City Chiefs recently became back-to-back NFL champions, and their championship parade was scheduled for Valentine’s Day.
The celebration stopped abruptly after shots were fired, killing one and wounding 22 others.
Kansas City’s Chief of Police, Stacey Graves, spoke to the public in a press conference after they began their investigation.
“This appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire,” Graves said.
Gun violence has been a rampant problem in the United States. Shootings frequent the news, and nothing seems to change, no matter how many people lose their lives or suffer life-changing injuries.
During the chaos, it’s reported that several players for the Chiefs were “unbelievable” at the scene. Taking care of distraught children and aiding citizens where they could. Trey Smith, an offensive lineman for the Chiefs, described his experience on Good Morning America. Smith and about twenty others were in a closet
“Right before I run in there, there’s a little kid in front of me, so I just grabbed him and yanked him up and said, ‘You’re coming with me, buddy,’” Smith said.
It wasn’t just Smith, though. Other videos have surfaced showing a few brave Chiefs fans tackling a potential suspect and detaining them until law enforcement could apprehend them.
According to police reports, three individuals were detained, and one of those individuals was released after being determined not to have been involved with the shooting. Along with the individuals, police acquired their firearms and are gathering additional evidence.
Events like these are far too common in America. Schools, parades, churches, movie theaters, nightclubs, high school football games, grocery stores, college campuses, and other places that would normally be safe have lost their innocence.
Each day, the sympathies shift to the next tragedy that unfolds. But no number of condolences or sympathy will bring back the innocent lives taken by these senseless acts of violence.
The reactions on social media indicate that people are mad and should be. Championship parades have been permanently changed, and the lines between safe and unsafe have never been more unclear.
In a setting with around 800 police officers present, none could help Lisa Lopez-Galvan in her final moments. Or the 22 human beings ranging from ages eight to 47 who were injured while trying to enjoy a Super Bowl parade for their favorite team.
On Friday, Kansas City law enforcement officials announced that they have charged two juveniles with gun-related charges and resisting arrest. The statement also mentions additional charges to come.
Is this justice? For some, it might be. For the families irrevocably changed by these events, they’ve entered a club they never signed up for Survivors of Gun Violence.
Society has grown tired of seeing the lives of the innocent taken away. They demand action. They need action.
The late-great American President John F. Kennedy once said, “There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long-range risks of comfortable inaction.”
Right now, the cost of inaction is human lives. It’s time to make changes to protect the lives of the innocent better.
For more information about Gun Violence, please visit EveryTown Research.