If your team won a championship next year would you be afraid to go to the parade?

This question is one that sports fans may need to consider after what transpired on February 14 during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl championship parade. At that parade, a mother of 2 was killed and more than 20 people were injured when two gunmen, according to David Propper of the New York Post, fired at some other individuals with whom they were arguing.

While shootings at victory celebrations such as this are not common, a handful of incidents have occurred over the years that make one wonder whether the possibility of violence at public events such as this has just become too high. Another example is the shooting at Highland Park, Illinois in 2022, also a parade. According to Selina Guevera of NBC News, about 15 minutes after the Independence Day parade began, Robert Eugene Crimo, III opened fire from a rooftop killing 7 and injuring 48. This event was unrelated to any team celebration, but it does represent the same type of public event.

Unfortunately, in public settings, mass shootings are not uncommon in the U.S. According to Everytown.org, “In the eight years between 2015 and 2022, over 19,000 people were shot and killed or wounded in the United States in a mass shooting.”

Of these, the most deadly took place at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas on October 2, 2017, which killed 60 and injured more than 850. According to the Homeland Digital Security Library, “A lone gunman opened fire into the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino” during this attack.

Other mass shooting incidents have occurred at a variety of places including schools, clubs, and restaurants. Whether or not this makes people afraid to attend events depends on the individual. Multiple teachers at PB say that this type of violence won’t stop them from attending events

One of these people is PB Biology teacher Mrs. Hollis. She says that these tragic events won’t affect her going to public places or happenings such as parades because she doesn’t “expect people to harm a big group of people.” She also believes that it isn’t good to live your life in fear.

PB History teacher Mr. Julian says, “You don’t expect things like that to happen in your day-to-day life but when I go out I stay aware. I’m not gonna be afraid.”

PB Spanish teacher Mrs. Ellis notes “The shooting does not affect me because you won’t be able to experience life if you’re always living in fear and won’t do things.”

After asking a group of PB students their thoughts on this issue, it’s clear that they feel similar to the teachers in that this event won’t affect how they view going out to public events. In fact, one of them noted that it happened in Kansas City, not this area so he’s not worried.