18-year-old Dominic Miller and 23-year-old Lyndell Mays were charged with “second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.” As the parade concluded, locals overheard Miller and Mays arguing with one another, which quickly escalated to gunfire. Two other teenagers were also charged with both gun-related offenses and with resisting arrest. 

Video evidence from the event shows onlookers chasing down and tackling the shooters, detaining them until the police arrived. In an interview with NBC’s Today Show, Paul Contreras, who was seen tackling one of the shooters, explains the event. “When I took him down to the ground, his hood went over his head so he was face down the whole time,” Contreras said. “I had him face down to the ground with me on top of him…”

As our community members and families process the tragedy that took place, the Chiefs players have teamed up with United Way of Greater Kansas City, a non-profit organization, to launch the #KCStrong Fund for emergency monetary funding to support those affected by the shooting, violence protection organizations, recovery facilities and first responders.

Lisa Lopez-Galvan, whose life was unfortunately taken at the shooting, was a part of the William Jewell community, both as a sister and as an aunt. In a supportive effort to honor Ms. Lopez-Galvan, the Faith and Culture center at Jewell has set up a memorial outside of Gano Chapel.

The Jan. 28, 2024 fight for the NFC Championship title came down to the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions, as they battled it out at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the home field of the 49ers. Things were not looking good for quarterback Brock Purdy and the 49ers, as they found themselves at a 17-point deficit by halftime, but they persevered and performed a miraculous comeback, outscoring the Lions 27-7 in the second half. The 49ers clinched the NFC Championship with a final score of 34-31, advancing to the Super Bowl.

The Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for the AFC Championship game. Many people doubted the Chiefs’ ability to stop the Ravens’ explosive offense, but the Chiefs’ defense, coached by Steve Spagnuolo, was able to put pressure on quarterback Lamar Jackson and hold the Ravens to 10 points, tied for their season low. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes along with tight end Travis Kelce made an unstoppable duo, with Kelce scoring the first touchdown of the game to give the Chiefs an early lead. The game ended with a final score of 17-10 with the Chiefs claiming the AFC Championship title and moving on to compete in the Super Bowl yet again.

As Super Bowl LVIII approaches, we can look back and see what happened the last time the Chiefs and the 49ers competed against each other in Super Bowl LIV. Patrick Mahomes became the Chief’s starting quarterback in 2018 and has since led his team to the Super Bowl in four of the previous five seasons, winning two of them. Super Bowl LIV was Mahomes’ first appearance in the Super Bowl, and though the Chiefs were down early, Mahomes’ offense scored 21 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to win 31-20. 

This will be a challenging matchup between two teams led by talented young quarterbacks and two of the league’s top ten defenses, with both teams proven to be able to handle comeback situations. Chiefs fans hope to see their team win their second consecutive Super Bowl, while the 49ers aim to win their first Super Bowl since the 1994 season. Super Bowl LVIII will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. (CT) with Reba singing the National Anthem and Usher performing for the halftime show.