St. Agnes members gather to pray for students, mother hit by gunfire at KC Chiefs rally
Prayers were silent across the cathedral, but teary eyes and kneeling postures at St Agnes Catholic Parish spoke louder than words Thursday.
Silence was broken only by sniffles scattered between the pews, and three meditations led by Michael Gomez, business manager at the parish.
“We come here to pray, to reflect, to adore,” Gomez said. “We hold them close to our heart, keep them in our prayers, the families affected by the tragic events of yesterday.”
Two Johnson County elementary school students were among the victims shot Wednesday after a Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally at Union Station.
Madison and Melia Reyes, who are in the fourth and third grade at St. Agnes Catholic School, are recovering after being shot while at the rally, Gomez said. An hour of adoration was held to honor the family Thursday.
Gomez didn’t know the status of the girls’ injuries or where they had been shot, but said earlier in the day Thursday that the two both underwent surgery Wednesday evening and are recovering.
Their mother, Erika Reyes, sent a letter to the school’s principal with updates on the girls and photos of them, and Father Pat Sullivan visited them at Children’s Mercy Hospital, Gomez said.
The church held a rosary at the end of its Ash Wednesday services to honor Madison, Melia and Lisa Lopez-Galvan, their mother’s cousin and a member of the church who died in the shooting. Teachers at the school held another rosary to honor the victims and their families Thursday morning, followed by the hour of adoration Thursday evening.
Gomez said it was awful to learn that the mass shooting that injured nearly two dozen people and killed one was spurred by an argument.
“It’s such a tragedy and we’ve all heard it before how it needs to end,” Gomez said. “The amount of guns that are out there and the access to them. While it’s a right for us as citizens, it’s a right that needs to be monitored better and addressed more.”
Police said 23 people were injured by gunfire in the mass shooting, which they believe was spurred by a dispute. The victims ranged in age from 8 to 47, and half off them were under 16.
Police Chief Stacy Graves said several firearms were recovered from the scene, but didn’t specify the types of guns.
Three people were detained by police, including one adult and two juveniles.
