Kansas City homicides reached a record high in 2023 and Missouri has some of the most lax gun laws in the country.
In the wake of Kansas City’s deadly shooting that erupted at the end of the Chiefs‘ Super Bowl parade, the record-breaking homicide rate in Missouri’s largest city and the state’s gun laws has faced renewed attention.
One person died and 22 others were injured after gunfire rang out outside Union Station on Wednesday as Chiefs fans were leaving a parade and rally, according to police.
Two juveniles have been detained by authorities amid the investigation and charges have not yet been filed, according to Kansas City police.
A third juvenile who had been detained in connection with the shooting was determined not to be involved and is no longer in custody, a police spokesperson confirmed to ABC News Thursday evening.
More than 800 law enforcement officers were on duty at the time of the shooting, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas during the briefing.
In 2023, Kansas City Police Department’s daily homicide analysis showed 182 homicides, 12 more than took place in 2022 and three more than the previous all-time high in the city, 179 homicides in 2020.
KCPD’s daily homicide analysis report indicates that a majority of the homicides reported in 2023 involved a firearm.
