KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Friday night football at Wyandotte High School ended with gunfire on Sept. 15.
Just before 9:30 p.m., two individuals, who were not already at the game, approached a stadium gate and opened fire at a Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools police officer, according to the KCK Police Department.
KCKPS operates its own police department.
No injuries were reported Friday night, and KCKPD did not have an update to provide on the incident or suspects by Monday afternoon.
But Monday morning, students addressed the incident with a walkout, explaining gun violence pushed them to protest.
“Gun violence is real. And it’s not a minor issue that we can fix, it’s a major issue that’s going to take a whole community to fix it,” said junior Brelynn Brown. “I now have PTSD from it. Obviously, when I hear sounds that imitate a gunshot, it really affects me. Certain sirens start to trigger me, and it starts to work my anxiety.”
Brown was at the game as a member of the band’s dancers. She said they felt there was nowhere for them to run or hide when shots rang out.
“The first thing I thought was I was going to die,” she said.
Brown’s mother, Christina Agado, said it was terrifying to get a call from her daughter Friday night with little information.
“You can’t stop the world from having bad events take place — that’s going to happen,” Agado said. “But what we can control is what we do when these events happen.”
Agado expressed a need for more security measures for students at sporting events. So, reporter Abby Dodge reached out to KCKPS.
A spokesperson said the district's superintendent met with students Monday morning to hear their concerns and take note of suggestions for safety at future sporting events.
Parent Gady Villescas was at the game watching his sons play. He commended the swift action of law enforcement, who he said reacted "at a moment's notice," as his family tried to leave the stands when they heard the gunshots.
“I don’t know why the shooter did what he did. To put so many people’s lives at risk like that, that’s pretty bad,” Villescas said. “Mothers hugging their babies, lying on the ground, praying for them. You see other people lying on the ground.”
The next Friday night game at Wyandotte High School will take place this week.
While the Villescas family plans to attend, Brown and her mother will likely stay home.
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