Kansas City Chiefs Explain Decision to Keep Shooting Incident Under Wraps

The Kansas City Chiefs organization has shed light on their choice to keep last summer's shooting at their facility under wraps. The incident, which took place in May 2024, involved gunfire that struck three locations within the facility, including a bullet that shattered the glass of head coach Andy Reid's office while he was present.

Mark Donovan, the Chiefs' president, detailed the team's response during a kickoff luncheon on August 21. "We called down to our experts very quickly, at all levels, regionally and nationally," Donovan stated. "We assessed the situation and cooperated with the Kansas City Police Department throughout the investigation." He emphasized that the team evaluated the circumstances and determined how to proceed from a public relations and communications perspective.

As the Chiefs gear up to face the Chicago Bears for their final preseason game on August 22, Donovan reassured fans that there is no cause for alarm. "Tomorrow night there will be 70,000 people in that stadium," he remarked. "Our job is to keep them safe. We invest everything we can to ensure that happens."

He further noted, "Every single year we have to evolve, enhance, and increase our safety measures. We’ve done that." The Chiefs are set to open their regular season against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil, on September 5, before returning to Kansas City for a home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 14.

Details of the shooting were first reported by local media on August 21, revealing that most team members and employees were unaware of the incident. Reid was alone in his office when a bullet was fired from outside, penetrating the glass and lodging in a wall just 15 feet from where he sat. Fortunately, he was unharmed.

On that day, two additional bullets struck the facility—one hitting the floor above Reid's office and another damaging an outdoor air conditioning unit. The investigation remains active, with no arrests made thus far.

"There is no indication this was a targeted incident at any person or organization," stated Captain Jacob Becchina of the Kansas City Police Department. "Given that the building was occupied when the bullet came through the window, we are treating this as an aggravated assault case."