Teenager Sentenced to State Facility for Role in Chiefs Super Bowl Parade Shooting
July 26, 2024
Three men have been charged with murder and three juveniles have been charged with other crimes as the result of the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl parade at Union Station last February.
On Thursday, one of the juveniles (a 15-year-old teen referred to in court documents with his initials, R.G.) was sentenced to a Missouri state Department of Youth Services facility, per the Associated Press as well as Nathan Pilling of the Kansas City Star.
The teen has admitted to one of the charges against him, per the AP, which was "unlawful use of a weapon by knowingly discharging or firing a firearm at a person." However, the Jackson County Juvenile Officer's office has dismissed a second charge of armed criminal action.
In addition, the office will not go forth with a certification process that could have led to the teen's case being taken in adult court.
"You made some bad choices, but that doesn't make you a bad person. It doesn't make you a bad kid," Jackson County Family Court Administrative Judge Jennifer Phillips told the 15-year-old during the proceeding.
Police said the shooting began after two groups got into an altercation after one group confronted the other for allegedly staring at them.
Lyndell Mays, 23, allegedly was the first person to open fire and has since been charged (along with two other men) with murder in the shooting death of 43-year-old Lisa Lopez Galvan.
Detective Grant Spiking testified during the proceeding that 25 others were wounded by gunfire, and 69 others suffered other ailments. Federal investigators also say 12 people drew guns at the rally, with six firing their weapons.
Detective Spiking also testified that the teen fired back at Mays after he starting shooting and accidentally hit a member in his own group, Dominic Miller, who has also been charged with murder.
The teen's lawyer, Jon Bailey, initially asked for the teen to "be released on an intensive supervision program and house arrest with a condition of no social media use," per the AP. However, the juvenile office argued that time spent in the facility "would help separate him from any negative peer influences," according to the AP.
Roughly one million fans were in attendance on Feb. 14 to celebrate the Chiefs, who had just won their third Super Bowl in five years after taking down the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Las Vegas.