Eyewitness: People initially ‘thought it was fireworks’

(NewsNation) — One person was killed and multiple others were injured Wednesday after shots were fired near the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally, police confirmed.

About 10 to 15 individuals sustained injuries in the shooting, which occurred outside Union Station. Authorities have apprehended two suspects in connection with the incident.

Rachel Miller, who attended the rally, described seeing people running from the stage area about 10 minutes after the rally concluded, on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”

She and her father quickly gathered their belongings and joined the panicked crowd in seeking safety.

While Miller didn’t witness any apprehensions firsthand, she saw video reports of fans intervening to assist law enforcement in subduing suspects.

“I didn’t hear the gunshots before the officers ran into Union Station. But I heard about five pops after the officers engaged the suspects,” she said.

The shooting occurred shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs team finished addressing the crowd, with players already offstage and the area beginning to clear, Miller said.

“A lot of people probably thought it was fireworks. So they didn’t think that much about it. But I knew exactly what it was when I heard it,” she said.

The chaotic scenes unfolded as more than 800 officers managed the massive crowd gathered for the celebration in the heart of Kansas City. Witnesses described a sudden surge of panic as attendees attempted to flee the area upon hearing gunshots.

Both University Health Kansas City Hospital and Children’s Mercy Hospital issued statements indicating they were receiving patients from the rally. University Health reported treating four gunshot victims along with eight others who sustained injuries unrelated to gunfire.

The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation, with Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves emphasizing the incident appears to be criminal rather than an act of terrorism.