Facebook A scene from a video of the Kansas City shooting.
Videos captured the scene of a mass shooting in Kansas City that left at least 16 people wounded, 1 fatally, outside a nightclub just a couple hours after the Kansas City Chiefs won a spot in the Super Bowl. You can watch some of them later in this article, but be aware that the language is graphic.
The shooter also died at the scene. The shooting occurred outside at 9ine Ultra Lounge bar about 11:30 p.m. on January 19, 2020 in the 4800 block of Noland Road. It is not yet clear whether all of the wounded suffered gunshot injuries. The bar was hosting a Chiefs’ party. Police have identified the shooter as Jahron Swift.
Kansas City.com reported that the shooter “started firing into a line of people waiting to get inside” the club. The motive remains unclear.
Quinton Lucas, the mayor, wrote on Twitter, “Our greatest challenges remain even this morning in our community. My thoughts are with the families and friends of those whose lives were lost or impacted by last night’s mass shooting. Thankful security appears to have kept the situation from being even worse.”
At a news conference, the mayor declared, “We’ve got a problem in Kansas City…it is an epidemic of gun violence.”
Here’s what you need to know:
An Armed Security Guard ‘Engaged’ the Shooter, Police Say
On January 19th, at about 11:30 p.m., “officers were dispatched to the 4800 block of Noland rd. on a shooting,” police wrote in a statement. “Upon arrival officers located one deceased adult female and one deceased adult male.”
Police then added, “As the investigation unfolded at least 15 other victims arrived at area hospitals. At this time 3 of those victims are listed in critical condition. An armed security guard at the business engaged the shooter outside of the establishment.”
They added: “We believe the shooter is the deceased adult male. The circumstances that lead to this shooting are unknown. Detectives and crime scene investigators will be collecting evidence and talking with witnesses to gather more information to see what lead to this shooting…The next anticipated information release will most likely be the ID of deceased victims once the next of kin have been notified.”
Police have scheduled a news conference for later in the day on January 20.
Another video shows a man running while carrying what appears to be a wounded woman in his arms. “Are you hit?” a man says in one of the videos.
Another video, which Heavy.com has reviewed but is choosing not to run, shows the body of what appears to be the shooter in a parking lot.
People expressed shock on Facebook who were at the scene. “This was the scariest moment of my life. I will never unsee all of the lifeless bodies just laying there when we exited the club. ??♀️ prayers the the victims families and friends, ??” one woman wrote.
“I just seen a chick get shot in the head outside the door of the club. I’m sick,” wrote another man.
“It’s 2 dead bodies in the parking lot,” wrote another.
On Facebook, the Lounge describes itself as, “Bringing fresh air to the Nightlife with great experiences and an even better VIP experience!” It adds, “Our mission is to bring a out of town experience to Kansas City Night Life.”
The night of the shooting, the lounge posted, “SECTIONS ARE SOLD OUT‼️‼️‼️ Early Arrival is Suggested ????” The poster for Sunday night highlighted the Chiefs playoffs game and the sounds of DJ Rocky Montana.
The club’s Facebook page indicates it’s been holding similar events each night.
On January 4, 2020, the club posted that it was aware of “allegations,” but it didn’t elaborate.
“The club is aware of the allegations and concerns that have transpired during the recent days. We have deep sympathy for those that have been impacted, or feel as though they may have been victimized in any way. While it is not practical for our establishment to be liable for the hundreds of individuals that patronize our business, we are working countless hours strategizing, and formulating remedies to prevent anyones safety from being compromised,” the post says.
“We will work diligently to get to the bottom of any incident that occurs on our premises, because we genuinely care about our customers and it is the right thing to do. However, we do want to assure the community that the circulating story does not comply with the morals and principles of the 9ine’s ownership, management, and staff. Thank you in advance for your patience as we further investigate this matter.”
It’s not clear whether that post had anything to do with the mass shooting, however.