Just two weeks after the devastating Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade shooting, the NFL team’s head coach Andy Reid is calling for unity.
While speaking at a press conference this week, Reid pleaded to Kansas City’s youth. “You’re our future,” he stated. “And as great as we can make this place, we want to do that. We can turn this, which was a negative, into a real positive. With just a little togetherness and love, we can fix a lot of problems.”
The shooting left one woman dead and nearly two dozen injured. More than half of the victims were reportedly under the age of 16. Dominic M. Miller and Lyndell Mays were arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Two juveniles were also arrested and charged. with gun-related offenses. Their identities haven’t been released.
During the shooting, a teenager revealed that Andy Reid had comforted children. He had been presented with the players during the rally, which occurred just before shots rang out near the city’s Union Station.
“Andy Reid was trying to comfort me, which was nice,” one of the teenage witnesses stated. “He was kind of hugging me, just like, ‘Are you OK, man? Are you OK? Just please breathe.’ He was being real nice and everything.”
Reid then left to check on others nearby.
Also during the press conference, Andy Reid spoke out about the shooting victim, Lisa Lopez-Galvan. “I want to share my condolences for the Galvan and Lopez family for their loss of Lisa, and for the people of Kansas City,” he said. “She was a personality there, and a very good human being, first of all. We’ll all miss her, as I know her family will.”
Andy Reid Seeks to Do Whatever He Can to Help the Youth
While at the Indiana Convention Center, Andy Reid spoke to USA TODAY Sports about the incident and what needs to be done.
“It’s the youth,” Reid explained. “We’ve got to do whatever we can to help help our youth.”
Reid also discussed working with city leaders on supporting troubled youth in Kansas City. “The main thing is to just be available,” he pointed out. “And then I look at all what Patrick [Mahomes] has done in the city. You put yourself out there. That’s kind of what the Chiefs do.”
Reid then said that the shooting put football in another perspective to help combat real-world issues. “That’s why I say we’re here to teach,” he further added. “Part of teaching is communication. There has to be a love for it. And a sensitivity.”