Several people are facing charges for murder and other offenses related to the shooting that took place at the Super Bowl victory parade of the Kansas City Chiefs in February.
According to The Associated Press, the Missouri state Department of Youth Services facility will be the new home for one of the juveniles this week. The 15-year-old, whose identity remains undisclosed because of their young age, expressed that the events that took place on February 14th outside of Kansas City’s Union Station do not define their true character.
During a hearing on Thursday, the teen, who is identified as “R.G.” in court documents, denied being the person he was accused of being, stating, “That is not who I am.” However, he did plead guilty to the charge of “unlawful use of a weapon by knowingly discharging or firing a firearm at a person,” according to the AP.
According to The Kansas City Star, the teenager referred to himself as a well-behaved individual until he got mixed up with the wrong group of people.
According to Jackson County prosecutors, the shooting incident arose from a confrontation between two groups. The murder charge against Lyndell Mays, one of the three men involved in the case of the late local DJ Lisa Lopez Galvan, stems from allegations that he fired the first shots.
The suspect involved in the shooting at the Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade has finally spoken out and issued an apology from jail. He expressed remorse, saying “I am truly sorry” for his actions.
According to Kansas City police detective Grant Spiking, R.G. started shooting at Mays and accidentally hit Dominic Miller, a member of his own group who is now also facing murder charges.
“Being a teenager comes with its own set of challenges, and sometimes we make decisions that we regret. However, it’s important to remember that mistakes don’t define us as individuals,” empathized Jennifer Phillips, Administrative Judge of Jackson County Family Court, during a hearing that resembled a trial for an adult. She reassured the teen that their poor choices did not make them a bad person or a bad kid.
On February 14, a shooting occurred at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City, Missouri. A law enforcement officer surveyed the scene in the aftermath of the incident.
According to a deputy juvenile officer from Jackson County Circuit Court, youths committed to a state Department of Youth Services facility generally stay for a period of nine to 12 months.
In the beginning of this month, Phillips acknowledged the teenager’s confession of committing the offense of unlawful use of a weapon by intentionally firing a firearm at an individual.
The office in charge of youth cases, the Jackson County Juvenile Officer’s office, has decided to drop the second charge of armed criminal action and has also chosen not to pursue the certification process that would transfer the teen’s case to adult court.
In Kansas City, Missouri, on Feb. 14, law enforcement officials conducted an investigation after a shooting that occurred during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration. The incident was captured in a photograph taken by Reed Hoffmann of the Associated Press.
The attorney representing the teenager, Jon Bailey, has requested that his client be released on an intensive supervision program and placed under house arrest. In addition, there is a condition that prohibits the use of social media.
Phillips was told by the teenager’s mother that their house could not be considered a home without him.
The attorney representing the juvenile office emphasized the importance of the teen spending time in the youth facility, as it would help isolate them from any harmful peer influences.
This report includes contributions from The Associated Press.
