Polcie: Shooting after Chiefs Super Bowl parade seemed to stem from dispute among several people

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The mass shooting that unfolded amid throngs of people at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration appeared to stem from a dispute between several people, authorities said Thursday.

Police Chief Stacey Graves said that the 22 people injured in the shooting ranged between the ages of 8 and 47 years old, half of whom were under the age of 16. A mother of two was also killed.

Three people were detained — including two juveniles — but no charges have been filed yet, Graves said. Police are calling for witnesses, people with cellphone footage and victims of the violence to call a dedicated hotline.

"We are working to determine the involvement of others. And it should be noted we have recovered several firearms. This incident is still a very active investigation," Graves said at a news conference.

The shooting outside Union Station occurred despite the presence of more than 800 police officers who were in the building and area, including on top of nearby structures, said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who attended with his wife and mother and ran for safety when the shots rang out. But he doesn't expect to cancel the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade.

"We have parades all the time. I don't think they'll end. Certainly we recognized the public safety challenges and issues that relate to them," Lucas said.

Throngs had lined the parade route before the shooting, with fans climbing trees and street poles or standing on rooftops for a better view. Players rolled through the crowd on double-decker buses, as DJs and drummers heralded their arrival.

The police chief said 1 million people likely attended the parade, which occurred in a city with a population of about 470,000 people and a metropolitan area of about 2 million, but stressed that the violence was wrought by just a handful of people.

"The law enforcement response was exemplary. Those in attendance also responded," Graves added. "They helped one another and even physically stop a person who was believed to be involved in the incident."

Meanwhile, police are still asking witnesses to come forward. Many described a sense of confusion that rippled through the crowd.

The rally had just ended and music was still blaring when the shots erupted. Many people initially thought they were hearing fireworks. But then chaos ensued. Some in the crowd hit the ground while others leapt over barriers and sprinted from the scene, some carrying children in their arms.