Jacob Gooch Jr., along with his father, stepmother, and siblings, was enjoying the celebratory atmosphere of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade when their joyous day took a horrifying turn. A gunman suddenly opened fire just 15 feet away from where their family was standing. In the chaos that ensued, Jacob, a 13-year-old boy, lost his shoes as they scattered in different directions. It was only when they reunited later that Jacob discovered he had been shot, becoming one of the twelve children injured during the shooting and its aftermath. A bullet remains lodged in his foot.

Jacob’s father, 37-year-old Jacob Gooch, and his stepmother, 32-year-old Emily Tavis, also sustained gunshot wounds. They shared their harrowing accounts of the day, expressing their horror and devastation at how the celebration in downtown Kansas City, Missouri turned into a tragedy.

Reflecting on the incident, Jacob Gooch expressed his frustration, stating, “It’s just senseless. You’re not going to make sense of it.” Gooch, who was shot in the right ankle and relied on crutches, described the profound impact of the tragedy. Tavis, who suffered a gunshot wound to her right leg, echoed his sentiments.

Among the injured were at least twelve children. According to Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves, individuals under the age of 16 accounted for half of the 20+ people injured. Children’s Mercy Hospital reported receiving twelve patients from the celebration, with eleven falling within the age range of 6 to 15 years old. Out of these, nine had been shot, according to a spokesperson from the hospital. As of Thursday, three children remained hospitalized but were expected to recover, as announced by Stephanie Meyer, the hospital’s chief nursing officer.

The discrepancy between the police’s and the hospital’s reports regarding the youngest injured child remains unclear.

Bridget Barton, who attended the parade with her husband and 13-year-old daughter, recounted the terrifying moment when she heard what initially sounded like fireworks. It was soon evident that someone was firing a handgun. With quick thinking, Barton grabbed her daughter and pushed her.

1. “Children shot at Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration”
2. “Nine children among those shot at Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl celebration”.