KANSAS CITY, Mo.—President Joe Biden said the Kansas City parade shooting should “shock us” into acting.
One person has died and 21 others were injured in the shooting that happened moments following the conclusion of the parade in downtown Kansas City to celebrate the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win.
Biden said in a statement hours after Wednesday’s shooting that it is “time to act,” stating this is where he stands and asked the country to stand with him.
“What are we waiting for? What else do we need to see? How many more families need to be torn apart?” Biden said. "We know what we have to do. We just need the courage to do it."
Wednesday’s shooting came on the sixth year anniversary of the Parkland school shooting. Three police officers were also shot in the line of duty along with another school shooting in Atlanta. It has also been one year since the shooting at Michigan State University.
“We’ve now had more mass shootings in 2024 than there have been days in the year," the president's statement read. “The epidemic of gun violence is ripping apart families and communities every day. Some make the news. Much of it doesn’t. But all of it is unacceptable. We have to decide who we are as a country. For me, we’re a country where people should have the right to go to school, to go to church, to walk the street — and to attend a Super Bowl celebration — without fear of losing your life to gun violence.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. posted on X Thursday that “prayers without action are just wasted words. Whether it’s at church, school, the store or a Super Bowl parade, the American people are sick and tired of living in fear of gun violence. Congress must act to protect our communities and end this madness.”
Missouri Congressional Representative Mark Alford, R-Mo., said spending on security for the event had increased to $1 million this year.
"I know it's very disheartening. We should be able to come together in situations like this and celebrate victories, not have to deal with a shooting,” said Alford.
Chiefs player Charles Omenihu added his voice to the call for a change in gun laws.
“Prayers for those affected at today’s parade,” Omenihu said in an X post. “A time of celebration ends in tragedy. When are we going to fix these gun laws? How many more people have to die to say enough is enough?"