KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As Kansas City processes a mass shooting that killed one and injured 21 others outside Union Station following the Chiefs Kingdom Champions Victory Parade rally on Wednesday, many are wondering how gun violence can be addressed and what the future of the city looks like.
KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw sat down with Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas for the first time following the shooting on Thursday morning.
LINK | Complete KSHB 41 coverage of Union Station shooting
Lucas said it's "hard to do better" when it comes to the security provided at the Super Bowl celebrations Wednesday.
"Yeah, 850 people that were on the scene almost immediately," Lucas said referring to law enforcement. "We had snipers on rooms. We had cameras everywhere. You had people around canines. It's hard to do better. And so that pushes me to a longer term solution, which is to say that, you know, I don't think it's crazy to say that the guns are part of the problem."
However, the mayor said the mass shooting prompts him to look at proposing legislation regarding modifications to firearms.
"And so, I would hope that people can say, alright, is there something we can do about the modified firearms that are putting so many more people at risk right now that are more easily concealed than just walking around with an assault rifle? That's a small little part of what I would wish we would do," he said.
A mass shooting at such a large, public event brings into question how Kansas City will handle large gatherings moving forward, especially as the city is set to host high-profile events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lucas said the aftermath of the shooting requires a re-evaluation of big events in Kansas City. If the Chiefs were to win another Super Bowl, the mayor says the celebrations would look much different and should be held at Arrowhead Stadium where everyone is subjected to go through metal detectors.
In a press conference with the chief of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Thursday morning, Lucas said Kansas City has a plan for the St. Patrick's Day parade coming up in March.
"But you're right, to know there's a World Cup in 2026. Coming up, there will be crowds again, there are crowds in America. I think that in the short term, we look for justice, and we'll make sure that those who are detained are the ones who committed these acts, (and) that they're brought to justice," he said.
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