As authorities continue to investigate the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting, it has been reported that two suspects have been identified as juveniles having a personal dispute.
According to CNN, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves stated investigators believe the parade shooting was triggered by a personal dispute within a small group. It was noted that the parade was not the actual target.
Graves also stated that the shooting was not linked to any terrorism or homegrown extremism. “Preliminary investigative findings have shown there was no nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism,” Graves explained. “This appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire.”
Graves then stated that more than a dozen victims have been reported, with the range from age eight to 47. She noted that at least half of the victims were under the age of 16.
Speaking about plans to charge the individuals responsible for the Kansas City shooting, Graves stated that the authorities have not charged them yet.
“This is still under investigation,” Graves stated. “We do have 24 hours until we have to either file charges or release them. We are working closely with the Jackson County prosecutor’s office to present the most successful case for prosecution.”
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker posted on X more details about the investigation. “I will use every tool at my disposal under Missouri law that allows me to address this tragedy,” Peters declared.
Kansas City Mayor Promises There Will Be a St. Patrick’s Day Parade Next Month Despite the Shooting
Despite yesterday’s shooting, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas stated that the city’s upcoming St. Patrick’s Parade is still happening.
“We have a plan for a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kansas City. We have parades all the time. I don’t think they’ll end,” Lucas stated during the city’s press conference. “Certainly we recognize the public safety challenges at issue that relate to them.”
Lucas also reminded everyone that this is not the first shooting at a parade in the U.S. or a rally. “That is certainly a tragic incident for us because we don’t have experience with them.”
Noting that Kansas City had a Super Bowl parade last year without a shooting or violence, Lucas declared, “We had one last year without this type of incident. We had a Kansas City Royals parade where we had almost no arrests in 2015.”
“So I don’t think in anyway that this is Kansas City. I do think there is a gun violence challenge in this community and many others.”