Two of the three suspects currently being held by Kansas City police in connection with the Super Bowl parade mass shooting are juveniles, officials revealed Thursday.
At a news conference outside the city’s police headquarters, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said investigators believe the shooting was sparked by a personal dispute between a small group, and that the parade was not targeted.
At least 21 people were shot and one killed in Wednesday’s mass shooting, and the news conference confirmed the death of a beloved Kansas City radio DJ.
“This was a dispute that ended in gunfire,” said the chief, who said a total of 10 people were questioned in the aftermath and further arrests are possible.
Officials said the more than 20 victims ranged from eight to 47 years old, with at least half under the age of 16.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves (pictured) said at a news conference on Thursday morning that the shooting is believed to have been caused by a personal dispute between a small group, including young people.
Images circulating on social media show a group of people being taken into custody after the shooting, some of whom appear to be young people. It is not clear whether the people depicted are suspects
A man wearing a red tracksuit was quickly taken into custody after the shooting, although it is unclear whether he was involved in the tragedy
Terrified paradegoers fled for their lives after gunmen opened fire shortly after the Superbowl winners stepped off the stage
Graves said the incident appears to have been sparked by rampant gun violence in Kansas City, and that there is currently no “Nexis against terrorism.”
The city’s fire chief spoke briefly at the news conference, saying at least eight victims were in critical condition.
Images circulating on social media show at least five people taken into custody following the shooting.
Several of them appear to be minors and were handcuffed and led away by police. It is unclear which of the persons photographed belong to the three suspects. One of the suspects was wearing a yellow Patrick Mahomes as he was handcuffed by police.
The Kansas City Police Department told DailyMail.com that it is not releasing the names of those in the images because they have not been charged.
Police have 24 hours to file charges against those arrested. The suspects appear to have been taken into custody quickly after the shooting began around 3:30 PM on Wednesday.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas made no statement but noted during questions from reporters that he would consider blocking a future parade next year.
In a separate press interview at 6 a.m. Thursday, Lucas explained that out of an abundance of caution, he might stop the parade if the Chiefs win again.
Lucas provided few new details about the tragedy early Thursday morning, apologizing for the “failure to keep everyone safe” at the family event.
“I’m sorry this happened yesterday,” he said.
‘We have worked hard to put on an exceptional parade, we have spent millions on it, but we have failed to keep everyone safe and I feel great guilt about that.’
A witness to the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting described a chilling scene where victims were shot to the ground and people were trampled in the chaos
Beloved Kansas City radio DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan, pictured here with her husband, was the only person to lose her life on the day of the shooting, dying during surgery at a hospital from a gunshot wound to her abdomen
It comes after several witnesses gave harrowing accounts of the moment the family event descended into chaos.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene of victims being shot to the ground and people trampled during the chaos.
More than a million people were expected to gather in Kansas City for the celebration, adding to the hectic scenes as the huge crowds formed a stampede to safety.
Rick Reichmeier told KCTV that he was separated from his family when the shooting began before witnessing the grisly moment after a woman was shot.
“When I got up there was a lady there, probably about 25 feet away from me, and there was blood coming out of her mouth as they were pumping her chest,” he said.
“I was walking away and I heard a few shots, a few bangs, bangs, bangs, people started running and I ran. Then suddenly people hit the ground, I hit the ground, people fall on top of me.’
Witness Rick Reichmeier said he was separated from his family when the shooting began, before he saw a woman with “blood coming out of her mouth as they pumped her breast.”
Victim Jacob Gooch Jr (pictured) said his wife and daughter, who were also shot, heard a woman begging a gunman not to start shooting seconds before the gunman turned in circles to hit as many people as possible.
Another witness who suffered a gunshot wound to his ankle, Jacob Gooch Jr., claimed that a woman begged the gunman “don’t do it” seconds before he spun around in circles to pepper as many people as possible with bullets.
Gooch Jr., who was shot along with his wife and son in the chaos, told CBS Mornings that he heard a young woman tell the gunman, “Not here, this is stupid.”
“My wife and daughter saw the gun come out and started shooting,” he said. “My daughter said a lady stopped him… then he pulled (the gun) out and started shooting and going around in a circle.”
Gooch said he did not see the shooter in person, but was a short distance away as he recalled initially thinking the gunshots were fireworks.
He said he had been shot in the ankle, his wife had been shot through the calf muscle and his son had suffered a gunshot wound to the foot, but fortunately his family was OK other than the wounds and were released from the hospital had returned home.