According to federal prosecutors, 12 people flashed firearms and at least six fired shots during the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally.
On Feb. 14, a shooting erupted during a fight at the Super Bowl victory rally, killing one person and injuring 22. The parade was supposed to draw almost a million people, and the gunfire drove terrified Chiefs fans fleeing for safety.
Prosecutors announced Wednesday that three men have been charged with federal gun trafficking violations resulting from weapons discovered at the scene.
Fedo Manning, 22, Ronnel Williams, 21, and Chaelyn Groves, 19, were charged with a variety of illicit trafficking and straw purchase violations in criminal complaints released Wednesday, although none of them are accused of being among the six people who fired shots.
According to the documents, Manning was reportedly involved in the illicit trafficking of dozens of guns, including a loaded AM-15 pistol recovered at the scene of the incident and discovered with a rucksack close to two AR-15-style firearms.
According to authorities, Williams allegedly bought a second.300-caliber pistol at a gun show last year and gave it to Groves, who was too young to legally purchase the weapon.
“Stopping straw buyers and preventing illegal firearms trafficking is our first line of defense against gun violence,” said Teresa Moore, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, in a statement. “At least two of the firearms recovered from the scene of the mass shooting at Union Station were illegally purchased or trafficked.”
“These arrests serve as a warning to those who believe they can illegally traffic guns into our communities or make straw purchases,” said Bernard Hansen, special agent in charge of the ATF’s Kansas City Field Division.
Dominic Miller and Lyndell Mays, two men who fired guns during the commotion, were arrested last month on charges that included second-degree murder. They have yet to file pleas.
He told the authorities “that he drew a gun first, in a crowd of people with kids, picked one of the individuals in the group [he was arguing with] at random, and started shooting, all because they said, ‘I’m going to get you’ and to him, that meant, ‘I’m going to kill you,'” according to the affidavit of probable cause.
According to the probable cause statement, Miller stated he returned fire after hearing gunshots and seeing a man shoot at him.
When authorities asked why he “advanced” on the other group in the first place, Mays “replied, stupid man. “I just pulled out a gun and started shooting it. That was not something I should have done. Just being stupid,” the probable cause affidavit stated.
