Kansas City Chiefs kicker doesn't blame guns for parade shooting, identifies the real problem: 'We need fathers in the home'



Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, a three-time Super Bowl champion, is speaking out about the importance of fatherhood and strong homes.

During an interview with EWTN, Butker spoke about the shooting at the parade celebrating the Chiefs' victory in Super Bowl LVIII. That shooting, which occurred last month on Ash Wednesday, left dozens of people injured and killed one woman, Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a fan of Butker. Police said a dispute between several people resulted in the shooting.

Predictably, gun-control advocates used the incident to push for gun control. But Butker told EWTN that such people have misidentified the problem.

"I know gun violence was a big discussion, but at the end of the day, this is degenerate violence, and it should not be occurring," he said.

"I think we need strong fathers in the home. I think we need men that are leading, that are setting good examples, that are teaching the young men in our society that violence is not the way to handle our disputes," he explained. "It's very unfortunate what happened. Unfortunately, many, many children were injured; a beautiful young lady was killed over someone getting offended and turning to violence to handle that dispute. It's so sad."

"I don't think guns are the issue. I think we need fathers in the home that are being great examples for our youth," Butker emphasized.

Butker is the second NFL star this month to speak about the importance of strong fathers.

During his retirement press conference, former Philadelphia Eagles lineman Jason Kelce attributed his professional successes to his family upbringing, emphasizing the importance of his father.

"I think one of the best things a person can be in this world is a father — a father who is present, loving, devoted just may be the greatest gift a child could ask for in our society," Kelce said.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

WATCH: Footage captures the exact moment Kansas City parade shooter was caught



Despite what you might think, “there are good people out there,” says Dave Rubin.

Thankfully, there was more than one Good Samaritan attending the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade. When more than one shooter opened fire on the crowd, resulting in one death and over twenty injuries, a couple of attendees took it upon themselves to detain one of the perpetrators.

Dave plays the footage of the exact moment bystanders tackled one of the shooters.

One of the main civilians involved in the gunman’s takedown was Paul Contreras, whom Dave calls “a true American hero.”

When interviewed, Contreras said that he “didn’t think about it” and just reacted.

“As I'm tackling him, I see his weapon either fall out of his hand or out of his sleeve,” he said. That’s when he knew he had “to take this guy down.”

“Just a good man who saw something and did something,” says Dave.

Unfortunately, “the media and the Democrats and everybody else will say, ‘We need to get rid of guns … we need more gun laws,’” he says.

To see the footage, watch the clip below.


Want more from Dave Rubin?

To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Police rule out terrorism as motive behind Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting; two teens in custody



The Kansas City Chiefs' victory parade in the team's Missouri hometown ended in bloodshed Wednesday afternoon. Gunshots rang out west of Union station just as the festivities were winding down, causing panic and confusion.

A pair of heroic dads managed to subdue one alleged gunman, but only after 22 people were wounded and a beloved mother of two was slain.

It was initially unclear what prompted the monstrous attack, although some suspected terrorism might have been to blame. Police have since revealed that a personal "dispute" between multiple thugs, not terrorism, was to blame.

Two teenagers are presently in custody. Police may yet make more arrests, as they suspect others may have been involved in the shooting.

The shooting

According to the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, shots were first fired around 2 p.m. Wednesday, west of Union Station, where a stage had been erected for speeches by Kansas City Chiefs players. Nearly 1 million people were estimated to have been in the downtown area at the time to celebrate the Chiefs' Super Bowl win.

The shooting caused panic, prompting some fans to take cover and others to run to safety.

KCMPD Chief Stacey Graves confirmed Thursday that at least 22 people were wounded in the shooting, in addition to Elizabeth Galvan, a 43-year-old radio disc jockey and a mother of two, who was fatally shot. The ages of the victims ranged from 8 to 47, and at least half of the wounded were under the age of 16.

Blaze News previously detailed how two fathers who had taken their kids to the parade spotted an individual believed to be a shooter and subdued him.

Graves celebrated the effort by bystanders to take action in the face of evil, reported the New York Times.

"They helped one another and even physically stopped a person who was believed to be involved in the incident," said Graves. "Your selfless act did not go unnoticed."

A 'dispute'

Graves indicated in a Thursday update that "preliminary investigative findings have shown there was no nexus to terrorism or homegrown violent extremism."

"This appeared to be a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire," said the police chief.

Jacob Gooch Sr., a survivor of the shooting, told "CBS Mornings" that just moments prior to the shooting, he overheard an "altercation" punctuated by a girl pleading, "Don't do it. Not here. This is stupid."

"My daughter said that some lady was holding him back, and people started backing up, and he pulled it out and starting shooting and spinning in a circle," said Gooch.

Gooch indicated he took a bullet to the foot; his wife was shot in her calf; and his son was struck in the foot. His daughter, fortunately, was left unscathed.

When pressed on whether he saw anything out of the ordinary prior to the shooting, Gooch noted he had been "suspicious of a certain group of people that were there. We were standing ... on the left side of the stage when the shooting ended up happening, and right before it ended up happening, there was this group dressed in all black, about four, five, six kids — looked like kids — with black on, black masks, and they disappeared into the crowd."

Graves noted that two juveniles are in police custody. While charges have yet to be filed, Graves indicated the department has only 24 hours to do so; otherwise it will have to cut the teens loose.

The chief also noted that investigators are looking into whether others were involved in the shooting.

"It should be noted that we have recovered several firearms," said Graves.

The Democrat-run city has long had an issue with violence, particularly gang- and youth-related violence.

Last month, another shooting occurred inside a popular shopping mall in downtown Kansas City, leaving six people wounded. The Star reported that what apparently triggered the shooting was a disturbance between two groups of "youths."

According to the Kansas City Star, the city set a record last years for homicides with at least 185 slayings. Over 240 were slain across the metro area. The previous year, there were 171 homicides.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

‘Heroes’ Kansas City Chiefs Fans TACKLE Alleged Shooter

‘Heroes’ Kansas City Chiefs Fans TACKLE Alleged Shooter