Content warning: Kansas City mass shooting.

Today, I worked on a post to keep up my February streak going, and then my phone started buzzing from local friends because there was a mass shooting at a pep rally in Kansas City meant to celebrate our recent Super Bowl victory.

I live in Lawrence, Kansas, just outside of Kansas City. I have friends who commute to Kansas City for jobs and dozens of friends who were at the parade today. Thankfully, none of them that I am aware of were hurt today.

NAME REMOVED said her hospital enacted its mass casualty alert

And children’s mercy has taken in victims also 😔

At least 22 people were injured, and at least one person died today in my home state.

Mass shooting injures 9 children, ages 6 to 15, at Chiefs Super Bowl rally on Wednesday

Johnson County mom dies in KC parade shooting.

In 2015, Missouri had the second-worst murder rate per capita in the United States.

In 2019, Missouri had the 4th worst murder rate per capita in the United States despite its murder rate increasing in four years.

Missouri has some of the most unrestricted gun laws in the United States.

Seriously, the idea of going to any large gathering is never appealing anymore and this is the reason.

My six-year-old told us tonight that he hoped he never gets shot and killed like the people in Kansas City were today. He heard about it at school and didn’t want to play outside tonight.

What a fucked up world we have created for kids today and ourselves.