CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The deadly shooting at a Super Bowl parade in Kansas City has some Charlotteans thinking more cautiously about attending events in Charlotte.
With spring just around the corner and more events planned for outside, many families are now worried about their safety in large crowds.
The next major event in Charlotte is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade next month, followed by March Madness games just days later. Both events will take place in the heart of Uptown, just blocks away from a shooting on New Year’s Eve that caused mass panic and sent five people to the hospital.
Some folks are asking what more can be done to keep people safe.
“It’s crazy," South Charlotte resident Mark Cordaro said. "It shouldn’t happen in America,” said Mark Cordaro of South Charlotte. "We’re fighting something that is bigger than us, bigger than the police, bigger than the protection we can put out.”
“It makes me sad, angry, and scared to go to big events,” Steele Creek resident Aviana Young said.
What was supposed to be the celebration of a Super Bowl win turned into tragedy in Kansas.
About two dozen people were hurt and a woman was killed when shots were fired into the crowds. The youngest victim hurt in the shooting was an 8-year-old. Police said it started with an argument. Two teens have been arrested and charged in connection to the shooting.
The shooting in Kansas City was a sad reminder of the violence communities are experiencing around the country. People want to be able to enjoy events like parades and festivals without the fear of being hurt. But these shootings are making some think twice about what they attend.
“I talked to my wife yesterday and we agreed not to go to concerts or big gatherings of people because you can’t trust what is going to happen with the crowds there,” Cordaro said.
“I have a kid,” Young said. “Plus, I’m expecting, and I just don’t want to be around any drama, so I’d rather just stay home.”
On New Year’s Eve in Uptown, people were dodging bullets near Romare Bearden Park. The shooting left 5 people hurt.
CMPD said keeping guns out of large-scale open events is not an easy task.
However, Lieutenant Kevin Pietrus said a lot of planning goes into ensuring everyone is safe.
“One of the things is ensuring that we have adequate staffing, not only a number, but in where we're focusing … in the right areas, and we have the right resources at any given event,” Pietrus said.
Pietrus added that officers do a lot of active shooter training.
“The response is the same as designed to be the same whether it's indoors or outdoors, whether it's at church, a school or a mall,” Pietrus said. “That is law enforcement, recognizing the need ... gunshots being fired, and moving that threat to eliminate it.”
CMPD said it is important for folks to be aware of what is going on around them and if a problem arises, try to stay calm.
“If somebody goes to an event, or they bump into somebody even relatively innocuously that something might then escalate,” Pietrus said. “De-escalation and conflict resolution is an important part of that.”
Police said it's also important to report any suspicious activity so officers can respond properly.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.