“There was a shooting!” my friend screamed as we began to run through the frantic crowd at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade. We were about 30 yards away from where rapid-fire gunshots rang out, caught in the chaos at Union Station. Suddenly, what seemed to be a perfect day spent celebrating the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl wins turned into a heartbreaking tragedy.

For a moment, the six of us, along with about 30 other Rockhurst students in the vicinity, were unsure what exactly had happened or what to do. Confusion quickly turned to terror as we ran to find shelter, seeing Chiefs fans swarm in every direction, police officers rush in toward the danger and a victim lying on the ground.

“I immediately recognized it was gunshots and a rush of fear and shock filled my head,” said junior Dariana Morales. “I thought no way this is happening–please let it be a joke.”

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, dozens of Rockhurst students joined the estimated 1 million people who gathered in the streets of downtown Kansas City for the parade and rally to celebrate the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl win. Minutes after the Chiefs concluded their celebration at Union Station, a dispute between two juveniles escalated into a mass shooting.

According to Kansas City police Chief Stacey Graves, 22 innocent victims were injured, half being under the age of 16, and a 43-year-old mother of two, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“One of the victims was my friend’s 10-year-old nephew,” said Morales. “He was shot on his left side, but miraculously the bullet missed the artery, and he spilled no blood. It is just crazy how many people I personally know or know of that were impacted.”

As of Tuesday, Feb. 21, two men, Lyndell Mays and Dominic Miller have been taken into custody in relation to the shooting. According to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, Mays, was part of the deadly argument. As the argument escalated, Mays allegedly drew a handgun and began to fire. Miller, among other, drew his gun in response and security cameras show he was the one that killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan. 

No Rockhurst students were victims of this senseless act of violence, but nonetheless, this was a traumatic event for the many members of the community. Just hours after the incident, Rockhurst President Sandra Cassady, Ph.D., released a statement offering support.

“As we continue to learn the extent of the tragedy, please know that we have resources available through Rockhurst University for students, faculty and staff who may have been affected or who are anxious, fearful or need help,” said Cassady.

The university is offering counseling resources for students regarding the tragedy through both the Counseling Center and Campus Ministry. Resources are available for faculty and staff through the Employee Assistance Program and the Office of Mission and Ministry.

The shooting on Feb. 14 was the 48th mass shooting of 2024, with 4,994 deaths and 3,351 injuries from gun violence just this year. Those statistics are more than numbers—they are a call to action. The tragedy at the parade, a day meant for celebration, confronts our community with the harsh realities of gun violence in America. While hospital visits from Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, and generous donations by Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are commendable, there needs to be meaningful reform. To honor the lost life of Mother Lisa Lopez-Galvan and improve the future for the 12 children injured during the shooting, we need to work towards creating a world where such tragedies are not a common occurrence.

On Feb. 17, over 200 people rallied at Washington Square Park in New York demanding “sensible gun legislation,” including universal background checks and safe storage laws. As Kansas City responds to the tragedy, members of the Rockhurst community need to come together ready to make a difference.

“Let us not lose sight of the good we see around us each day and let us also be supported by our university’s core Jesuit values, including ‘Finding God in All Things,’ especially in each other,” said Cassady.